For Whom the Phantom Calls
by tinamonic
Summary: Someone or something does not want Vaughn and Josie around..or even alive! Who or what is after them and why? The science club must save them before it's too late. JV CM. Thank you for the reviews!
1. Unspoken Memories

**A/N: Hello everyone! This is my first fanfic! I hope you guys love it (or at least like it)! This takes place right after Inquiry, but different things have happened. Josie has only been missing for a month and the science club has rescued her from the condemned BHH. Please ignore the fact that Conclusions has happened. I try to ignore it every time! I hope you enjoy it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any rights or anything of Strange Days at Blake Holsey High. If I did, they still would be on with new episodes! Jim Rapsas, you are truly a creative genius!**

**Chapter 1: Unspoken Memories**

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It was a warm, Sunday evening. The Science Club sat inside the lounge area deciding on what activity to do before curfew.

" I know what we should do" said Lucas in a loud, excited voice. "We should watch the new Creatures of the Night movie. I heard it's _really_ scary."

Everyone looked over at Lucas in a blank, bored stare.

"So that's your idea of _fun_? Just sitting around watching a scary movie when we could have went down the street to the movie theater? I don't think that's fun Lucas." Marshall quipped in an irritated tone.

"Well you guys aren't coming up with any great ideas yourselves." Lucas sneered as he eyed Marshall.

"I know what_ Corrine and I_ could do, if you know what I mean." Marshall replied with a big cheesy smile as he winked at Corrine. She looked at him with a surprised, embarrassed look.

Everyone looked over at Marshall and then at Corrine, and erupted into laughter.

"Marshall you are such a perv." Josie replied, shaking her head.

After all of the laughter and name calling towards Marshall was over, there was a long, silent pause. Everyone was either looking at the floor or at the ceiling, wasting away from boredom. Marshall kept trying to make eye contact with Corrine to try to convince her that his so-called "suggestion" was much more fun.

" I know what we can do." Began Josie, breaking the deafening silence. "We could continue to investigate the real reason as to why I was trapped in the condemned Blake Holsey."

Everyone looked at each other and then at Josie in disbelief.

"Don't you remember Josie? You took the Chi-quong ball from my father and that's why you were trapped in that alternate timeline." Vaughn retorted with slight sternness in his voice as he eyed Josie.

Josie rolled her eyes at Vaughn and continued on with her protest. "But we don't know the_ real_ reason as to why I was gone for a long time and who really wanted me gone...and for good!" Josie yelledin anguish.

"Josie you can't be serious! What if we go investigating and we won't be back in time for curfew! We could get into some real big trouble!" Corrine replied furiously.

"All you worry about is following the rules and not taking risks! This is about_ my_ safety and_ my_ life! Who knows if there is someone or something lurking out there trying to get me…or even kill me!" Josie yelled back with tears welling up in her eyes.

**"**And how do you know that it will happen again Josie? That's why we can't go off on the spur of the moment trying to take matters into our own hands when we don't know the facts! Didn't you learn from last time!" Corrine cried out angrily with tears also welling up in her eyes.

"Okay okay enough!" Marshall said as he stood up with his arms stretched out between Josie and Corrine. "It's obvious that everyone is still very upset over Josie's disappearance and the hell we went through to find her and bring her back. Now everyone _please_ just calm down so that we can have a nice relaxing evening together before classes start tomorrow okay?"

"It's just that I have to know! I'm terrified!" Josie sobbed.

Vaughn walked over and sat next to Josie and placed his arm around her and held her close to his chest. He then placed his head on top of hers.

"Listen Josie, we all want to know who's the bastard that's behind all of the crazy things here at school, and who tried to keep you away from us, away from_ me._" Vaughn said softly to Josie.

He lifted her head so that her eyes could meet his. He gazed into her deep brown eyes and wiped away the tears on her face. " I can't lose you again." He said softly, making sure only she heard him. Josie stared into his eyes and saw something she'd never seen before. A look of worry, sadness, and… could it also be_ love_?

**"**Uh I hate to ruin this moment of passion, but we still haven't decided on what to do and curfew is coming up in a few hours." Lucas said as he stood up, eyeing Josie and Vaughn uncomfortably

"We could watch your stupid movie Lucas."Marshall retorted playfully.

Everyone left the lounge and walked over to the television room. When Vaughn was halfway out of the room, Josie gently grabbed his arm and told the others that they would be over in a minute and not to start the movie.

"Vaughn, can I talk to you for a moment?" Josie asked quietly. "Thanks for being my shoulder to cry on. I guess I haven't let all of my emotions out since I've been back." She smiled weakly.

"No problem, I'm always here for you." Vaughn answered as he cupped her face in his hands.

"Are you sure everything is fine with you? It seems like you were pretty upset when everyone was talking about my disappearance." Josie asked as she held Vaughn's hands.

"I'm fine, I just hate remembering what happened and I had an eerie feeling about everything. Don't worry, I'm fine." Vaughn said las he looked at the floor, trying to hold back tears.

"Guys we can't wait any longer!" Lucas shouted impatiently from the hallway.

"I guess we'd better go and watch some zombies before Lucas turns us into one." Josie laughed.

They both walked slowly out of the lounge, trying to fight back the feeling to hold each other's hand.

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****A/N: So how was it for the first chapter? I updated this chapter a little. I changed the format and added a little bit of dialogue. Are you guys sitting on the edge of your seats? Feel free to make suggestions, R&R, private message me or whatever! Stay tuned for chapter 2 coming up very soon!**


	2. Sweet Dreams

**A/N: I repeat. I do not own any rights to Strange Days at Blake Holsey High! Enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter 2: Sweet Dreams**

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Corrine, Marshall, and Lucas patiently waited for Josie and Vaughn to make their grand entrance into the room. Marshall and Corrine were cuddling on the long sofa, while Lucas was standing by the television with his hand resting on the dvd player.

"I wonder what is the freakin' hold up! I really want to see this movie!" Lucas said impatiently.

"Are you that anxious to watch your damn zombie movie Lucas? Or are you uncomfortable because Josie and Vaughn are in the room _alone_?" Said Marshall, as he made weird faces at Lucas.

"Oh shut up Wheeler! Are you trying to imply that I'm jealous? Because I'm not! I'm impatient because I have been dying to see this movie since last month and they are taking too long!"

Corrine and Marshall stared at their angered friend as he turned red in the face from yelling like a madman.

"Whoa Lukester calm down! I didn't mean to insult you or your movie!" exclaimed Marshall as he walked over to Lucas and patted him on the back. "Take it easy. There must be something else bothering you. Do you want to talk privately after the movie?"

"No I'm fine. I'm just anxious to watch this movie that's all…but thanks anyway." Lucas replied somberly.

Marshall walked back over to the couch and plopped down next to Corrine, and gave her an endearing kiss on the cheek.

"What's that for?" Corrine asked with a bright blush.

"That's for being the smartest, amazing girlfriend any lucky guy like me could ever want or dream of!" He replied as he pulled her closer and began kissing her on the lips.

Lucas looked up and noticed his two friends making out. He wished that one day that would be him and a particular girl he'd been vying for the past year. As Marshall and Corrine were having their make-out session, (which seemed like forever), Josie and Vaughn strolled into the room. They stopped in their tracks when they noticed the two lovebirds making out.

"Ahem did we just interrupt something here?" Josie asked as she shifted her gaze between Corrine and Marshall.

"Yeah get a room!" chimed in Vaughn. Corrine and Marshall simultaneously looked up and reluctantly pulled away from each other. Corrine was clearly embarrassed.

"Well we had to keep ourselves preoccupied while you two were having your little "_date_" in the lounge area. So what were you two doing in there anyway? Inquiring minds want to know." Marshall asked as he raised his eyebrows up and down. His eyes shifted from Josie and Vaughn to Lucas.

"None of your business. If you must know we were just talking _privately._" Josie replied smugly, as she rolled her eyes at Marshall.

"It doesn't matter what they were doing as long as they are here now so that we can finally start the movie!" Lucas said impatiently.

Josie and Vaughn took a seat next to Corrine and Marshall on the couch. Lucas was still standing by the television and popped the movie into the dvd player. He turned around and faced his friends.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu, I present to you the horror flick, _Creatures of the Night_!" He pressed play, turned off the lights, and sat alone on the one-seated couch next to his friends. "_Wow this feels pretty awkward._" He thought as he came to the painful realization that all of his friends, except him, were coupled off.

* * *

It was now 8:45pm. The horror flick had been on about an hour or so. Everyone was tentatively watching the movie, seemingly pleased with Lucas's selection.

"Not bad Lukester, not bad." Marshall whispered.

"Shhhh!" replied Lucas, who was glued to the television.

Suddenly, on one scene, a zombie jumped on the back of his victim, causing everyone to jump in surprise. Marshall jumped onto Corrine's lap and Vaughn clenched Josie's hand.

"Whoa I guess we didn't see that one coming!" Corrine giggled as she held Marshall's trembling body.

Marshall was totally embarrassed. He quietly slid back into his seat. Vaughn and Josie looked down at their entwined fingers and then looked into each other's eyes and smiled.

As the movie continued on for the next twenty minutes, Josie noticed something in one of the scenes that made her frown with contempt. It was a dark, humanoid figure that appeared to be neither male nor female.

"_Who or what in the world is that thing? Everyone's passing through him as if he's a ghost or something. Whoever directed this movie or did the graphics sucks._" The figure seemed to be staring at something, as if it was trying to get someone's attention.

The movie finished a few minutes later. Lucas jumped up to turn on the lights and remove the dvd out of the machine while everyone else stretched in their seats as they tried to shield their eyes from the glaring light.

"So guys what do you think? That movie was awesome wasn't it?" Lucas said excitedly.

"Yeah… especially when Marshall jumped onto my lap!" Corrine laughed.

"Haha very funny guys, you all were surprised by the damn zombie, too!" Marshall pouted.

"Okay guys curfew is in two hours and counting. So what are we going to do next?" Lucas asked eagerly.

"I'm going to get ready for class tomorrow, so I guess I'm going to bed." Corrine replied.

"But it's only 9:30 and it's still early!" Lucas whined.

"I have to get up extra early tomorrow; sorry Lucas. We can play next time okay?" Corrine said as she got up from the couch and left the room.

"Wait for me Corrine I'll walk you to your room!" Marshall said as he quickly sprung up out of his seat and followed her.

Josie and Vaughn still sat on the couch, debating on what to do for the next two hours.

"So Vaughn what are you going to do for the next two hours?" Josie asked.

Vaughn was unresponsive. He sat still looking into space, as if something was bothering him.

"Vaughn… Is everything okay? You look like you just saw something?" Josie asked concernedly.

"Oh uh… nothing…I was just…I was thinking about something…I'm fine Jos. So what are you going to do for two hours?" He asked nervously as he looked around the room and then at Josie.

"I guess I was going to spend it with you and talk for a while." Josie replied.

"Uh guys… are you two doing anything or are you going to bed? I mean separate beds, not with each other." Lucas inquired, stumbling his words.

Josie and Vaughn looked at each other and then at Lucas, mulling over his last statement.

"I guess we're just going to hang out down here for a while. You can stay if you want Lucas." Vaughn replied with a warm smile.

"No. I guess I'll go up to my room. I forgot I have to study for a pop quiz tomorrow." Lucas clearly lied. He turned away and walked out the door and mumbled under his breath. "Besides, I wouldn't want to interrupt your "_quiet time_" with each other."

As Lucas walked out of the room, he turned around and saw Josie and Vaughn quietly talking on the couch. They both seemed to be very engaged in each other. The way he looked at her, the way she looked at him, there was no denying the obvious that was happening between those two. He couldn't help but notice that they were becoming closer than friends, and that the inevitable was going to happen soon. Lucas sighed dejectedly as he turned around and headed upstairs. He was a little heartbroken about his fondness with Josie.

* * *

"So Marshall what are your plans for tomorrow?" Corrine asked as she gathered her books for tomorrow's classes.

"I have a presentation tomorrow in computer class and I just have to read my cards over again before I go to sleep. But I wanted to come say goodnight to you first and make sure none of the zombies would come and get you". Marshall replied as walked towards his girlfriend with a zombie-like strut.

"Oh aren't you sweet! You wanted to protect me from the big scary zombie you were so afraid of!" Corrine giggled.

"Haha very funny. And for the record I wasn't scared I was _startled._" Marshall replied with a pout.

"Yeah okay Marshall." Corrine rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Well I'm off to get ready for bed before Durst starts her curfew patrol. I'll see you in the morning my dear."

Corrine walked Marshall over to the door. Marshall suddenly turned around and stared at her.

"You have the most beautiful brown eyes I've ever seen." He said as he cupped her face in his hands and planted a long goodnight kiss on her lips.

"It's nice that I always walk in when you guys are making out. You two aren't done _yet_?" Josie asked as she walked into her room with Vaughn trailing behind her.

"Yeah, you two are something else." Vaughn quipped.

"Goodnight Marshall. I'll see you in the morning." Corrine said as she watched him walk down the hallway to his room.

"Well Josie…I guess I'll be going to sleep too, goodnight. See you guys in the morning," said Vaughn as he walked out of the room.

"Goodnight." Josie and Corrine said simultaneously.

Josie walked Vaughn to the door and watched him walk into his room. "Something must be bothering him." Josie said worriedly to Corrine.

"Maybe it's the stress of everything that has happened within the last month. You know its going to take some time for all of us to get over what happened to you." Corrine replied.

Josie plopped down onto her bed. "Yeah I know but I have a feeling that something else is bothering him. When the movie finished, he looked frightened…like he had just seen a ghost or something. I wonder..if he had seen…"

"Maybe it's nothing. "Just get some sleep and we'll worry about it in the morning" Corrine interrupted.

"Yeah you're right...maybe it's nothing. Good night Corrine."

"Goodnight Josie, try not to worry. If you worry you will have nightmares." Corrine warned as she closed her eyes.

"Okay mom." Josie laughed.

She walked over to her drawer and pulled out her pajamas. She then wrapped her hair in a bun and turned off the lights and lay down in her bed. The whole time she was laying down, she had an eerie feeling in her gut telling her that something was about to happen.

She couldn't stop thinking about the figure she'd seen in the movie and about what was bothering Vaughn. "_Stop thinking about stuff and go to sleep before you have nightmares!" _She chided herself. She stared at the corner for a few minutes, hoping that it would help her fall asleep.

As she was drifting off to sleep, she noticed something or someone standing by the bedroom door. It looked like a person…Better yet, it looked like the figure that was in the movie. She blinked her eyes again and the image disappeared. "_Go to sleep Josie you're hallucinating, everything is fine._" She reassured herself. She shifted onto her left side and placed the covers over her head…and finally fell asleep.

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****A/N: So do you guys like it! Please R&R. I would love to read your comments, suggestions, etc. I hope this chapter was better than the last one and you guys are really looking forward to what's going to happen next! It's longer and has more action. I would like to thank XxbittersweetxtearsXx for taking the time out to read and review my first chapter! You are an inspiration to me!**


	3. Dream a Little Nightmare of Me

**Chapter 3 Dream a Little Nightmare of Me**

**Monday 6:45am**

Corrine awakened to the sounds of groaning and whimpering coming from Josie's side of the room. She slowly turned her head to look at her alarm clock. She lazily pressed the off button so that the alarm wouldn't sound.

"Great, I'm up too early. I guess I'd better take a shower before Josie gets up." She yawned as she still lay on her side.

When she finally sat up to get out of bed, she looked over at Josie, who was still fast asleep. She noticed that Josie had a terrified look on her face, as if she was having a terrible nightmare.

"I told her not to think about bad things before she went to sleep."

Corrine got up out of bed and placed the covers back over Josie's trembling form and walked into the bathroom to take a shower. Fifteen minutes later, she walked out of the bathroom in her robe and started to put on her uniform. It was now 7:20 am. Josie was still fast asleep.

"I guess I have to wake up sleeping beauty so that she won't be late for class." Corrine sighed, as she walked over to Josie.

"Josie…Josie…get up before you're late for class." She said as she gently shook her.

But Josie would not move or wake up, instead she continued to groan and whimper. It seemed as if she was in distress and was paralyzed. "_Maybe she's too deep in her sleep and is in a comfortable relaxed state._" Corrine thought scientifically.

She walked over to Josie once more and shouted.

"Josie, Josie get up NOW! You're gonna be late for class!" Corrine was now frantically shaking her, scared that something might be wrong with her friend. Then suddenly, Josie woke up with a loud scream and sat upright in her bed.

"Corrine you gotta help me! It's after me …someone or something…is after me!" She wept, tears streaming down her face.

"Josie I'm here, no one else is in here but me and you. Everything is okay…just calm down. No one is going to hurt you. Now tell me what's wrong".

Corrine ran over and sat down on Josie's bed and put her arms around her. Josie calmed down after a few minutes and placed her head on Corrine's chest.

She inhaled a couple of deep breaths and began to tell Corrine about the terrible nightmare she just had.

**Josie's dream**

"_**All I remember is that I was walking inside the school with you, Vaughn, Marshall, and Lucas… I turned around and no one was there. I looked everywhere, but the whole school was empty. I ran to the front door to see if you guys went outside, but you all weren't there. So I thought you were in the library so I ran in there, and it was empty. All of a sudden, I was in the condemned Blake Holsey! I couldn't get out. It seemed as though the walls were closing in on me. As I looked around the school and ran to the front door, I saw a dark human figure. It was a grayish-black sort of combination, with no face, no definition, and no nothing. I couldn't tell if it was a man or woman. I remembered that I saw this thing before…it was the creature from the movie! I asked it a question, but it didn't answer me…it just stood there, staring at me. **_

_**Then suddenly, its shape started to change. I could see that a face was starting to form. I couldn't make out the eyes or nose but for some reason, everything was blurry. I had a sickening feeling of despair and helplessness. When it looked at me I could feel that the person was evil. I remember the same feeling when I saw it in the movie when I was awake. Only this time it was so intense that the feeling was unbearable. Every time I took a step back, it seemed to glide towards me. I freaked out and ran upstairs to our room and closed the door. I looked for you inside but you weren't there! No one was there to help me! **_

_**Then the figure came through the door and I screamed and hauled ass out of the room. I ran downstairs and out the front door. I ran through the gate by the woods where it says "No Trespassing" and kept running. It seemed like I was running forever until I came upon the front doors of the old Pearadyne labs. When I looked to my right, I saw the damn figure and it was somehow in front of me! When I turned around to the left it was there and I kept spinning around until there were multiple figures all around me! One of them grabbed me and pulled me towards something that looked like a grave. I could feel a burning sensation when it grabbed my arm. I broke away and ran as fast as I could. I screamed and kept running and running until now...when I felt you shaking me and heard you calling me!**_

When Josie finished her story, she looked at her right arm and saw that there was a small, purplish bruise. She then looked at Corrine and began to cry hysterically. Corrine, looked horrified and quickly grabbed a box of tissues for Josie.

"How did that get there?" Corrine asked nervously as she touched the bruise. "Does it hurt?"

"No it doesn't, but it sure as hell didn't get there by itself." Josie replied angrily.

"What the hell is going on?" She shouted as she moved away from Corrine's embrace.

"Calm down Josie, maybe your sub consciousness caused a manifestation of the bruise, since your body was in a lot of stress from the nightmare." Corrine said, as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"I don't think so. There is something definitely happening...or trying to happen. What ever it is or whoever it is…I'm going to fight it! Josie Trent does not back down from a fight…even if it is a matter of life or death!" Josie said defiantly.

Corrine looked at Josie in worry and disbelief. "_Could there really be someone or something trying to attack Josie? Could it be stalking her in her dreams so that in some way it could kill her?_ _No. That can't be…it's illogical. There has to be a logical reason as to why she had that dream. Calm down Corrine; try not to get upset. Besides, it could be that the movie brought out repressed fears and caused her to have this nightmare."_ Corrine thought.

"That figure you saw…did it look similar to one of the zombies in the movie? I don't recall seeing anyone dressed all in black. There wasn't anyone who was staring at the camera, either."

"No it didn't look like anything of this world. You mean you didn't see that thing yesterday? It was right there on the screen…in _every_ shot!" Josie exclaimed.

"It was just standing there not doing anything. Everyone seemed to have passed right through it. It looked as if it was staring at me, and that's when I got this bad, eerie feeling like something terrible was about to happen." She exclaimed, motioning towards Corrine.

"Well maybe it was just a figment of your imagination caused by fear" Corrine replied.

"You call this bruise a figment of my imagination! It's real Corrine and something real is out there after me!" Josie shouted, with tears welling up in her eyes.

Corrine motioned towards Josie and embraced her in a comforting hug.

"You'd better get dressed now. We'll talk about this later and try to figure this out. It's 8 o'clock and science class starts in an hour. We don't want to be late or make professor Z angry." Corrine said reassuringly. Josie smiled and walked into the bathroom to take a shower.

* * *

Choking on a strangled gasp, Vaughn shot upright in bed. Sweat glistened on his face and trickled down his taut abdomen.

"What the hell was I dreaming about? And why am I so soaking wet?" He said aloud as he tried to catch his breath. He turned his head to look at the time.

"Oh no! It's already 8:40am and I'm gonna be late for Professor Z's class!"

He jumped out of bed, stumbling over his shoes on the floor. He ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

As Vaughn stood in the shower with his eyes closed, he let the warm, steamy water hit his face. The sensation of the warm water relaxed his tense body, allowing him to slip into a pleasurable reverie. He began to think about Josie… her beauty, her intelligence, and her petite body.

An elated smile spread across his face at the very thought of her. He realized that his feelings for her were intensifying everyday. His heart was starting to flutter every time she came around him. Whenever her soft, warm hands would touch him, his body would begin to tremble in excitement. Every time she smiled or spoke, he would focus in on her soft, supple lips, wondering when he would ever get a chance to kiss them.

After a few minutes, Vaughn turned off the shower and proceeded to dry his beefy body with a towel. The steam in the bathroom made it difficult to see anything in front of him. When he looked up, he saw something weird standing by the bathroom door. It seemed to be a dark, indistinct figure that was not moving. He squinted and wiped his eyes to get a closer look, but the figure vanished.

"Man I must be seeing things!" He shook his head and walked into the room to get dressed.

After he finished getting dressed, he walked over to the mirror to check his hair. "Good… everything's in place." He said, turning his head.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, he felt uneasiness well up inside as if someone was watching him.

He continued to fix himself when he noticed something being reflected in the mirror. He noticed a dark, faint object standing by his bedroom door. He quickly spun around, but the figure disappeared again. He began to feel a shock of terror well up inside him.

"I must be going crazy." He said as he gathered his books and walked quickly out the door.

"Whoa there buddy you seem to be anxious to get to class. You nearly knocked me down!" Marshall said as he stared at Vaughn strangely.

"Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost or something." Marshall asked concernedly.

"Ummm no… uh yeah… I mean I'm fine Marshall; thanks. We'd better get to class before we're late." Vaughn replied as he walked past his friend without making eye contact.

Marshall stopped a few feet away from Professor Z's class and watched Vaughn walk inside. He noticed Vaughn's abnormal demeanor. "_Something must be wrong. Maybe his father said something to scare him?"_ Marshall thought to himself.

"What are you looking at?" Lucas asked as he walked over to Marshall. He looked inside the classroom trying to see what Marshall was observing. "Don't tell me you have the hots for Vaughn. too" Lucas quipped as he nudged Marshall in the arm.

"No you idiot. I was just trying to see what was wrong with him. He didn't seem much like himself this morning." Marshall replied, glaring at Lucas.

"What's wrong with him? I noticed last night that he was acting weird. He seemed despondent, like he was paranoid about something." Lucas replied.

"He was acting the same way this morning. He looked as if something scared the crap out of him. He kept walking fast in front of me, as if he was trying to get away from something." Marshall answered concernedly.

"You don't think…it's because of Josie do you?" asked Lucas, as he desperatelt tried to hide a thrilled grin.

"What do you mean? You think Josie and Vaughn…"

"No! I mean I thought that she said something to upset him, that's all." Lucas quipped in a slightly harsh tone.

Marshall looked at his seemingly jealous friend with a cheesy smile.

"You're not _jealous_…are you?"

"Why would you say that? And besides they aren't dating. I hope not." Lucas said under his breath.

"I dunno what's wrong with Vaughn but I have this strange feeling that we'll soon find out." Marshall replied as he and Lucas stepped inside Professor Z's class.

**A/N: Finally Chapter 3! I would have updated a few days ago but I wanted to make sure this chapter was good. Please please please rate and review! Thanks to everyone who read my fic and an extra thank you to those who reviewed! Chapter 4 coming up soon!**


	4. What Dreams Are Made Of

**What Dreams Are Made Of**

Marshall and Lucas walked inside the classroom together, scanning the area for empty seats. They noticed Vaughn sitting uncomfortably next to Madison in the back row.

"It looks like he's having a fun time back there with the Black Widow." Marshall chuckled. _Poor Vaughn…he must be miserable sitting back there when the girl he __obviously__ likes is sitting up front_. He thought

"Look… there's a seat behind Josie and Corrine." Lucas said, as he began walking to the second aisle of the classroom towards the two girls.

"Hey gorgeous." Marshall said flirtatiously as he winked at Corrine. Corrine turned around with an elated smile and blushed.

"Hey." She replied sweetly, blowing him an endearing kiss.

"Alright class, today we will be talking about the brain and its functions."

Professor Z began as he stood in front of the class. He walked to the back of the room and brought up a model of a brain and placed it on his desk.

"As you can see, this brain is shaded in two colors, which indicates the two hemispheres that the brain is split into. The left blue area, or hemisphere, is the logic side. The right red area is the creative side." He explained as he pointed to the shaded areas on the model.

"Ummm… Professor Z?" Asked a confused Kubiak, raising his hand.

"Yes Stuart?"

"Are our brains colored in red and blue and have words written on them?"

Professor Z and the rest of the class all stared at Kubiak. Some students began to laugh at his seemingly absurd question. Stu looked blankly at Professor Z and turned his head, realizing that his fellow classmates were staring at him. Professor Z broke his gaze and began to answer his question very slowly, as if he was explaining it to a five year old.

"No Stu. This is just a _model, _but your brain is described as having two different sides to it. That's how scientists can tell which part of the brain a person uses more. Like if he's a more creative thinker or if he's a more mathematical thinker."

"Oh okay Professor Z." Stu replied looking even more confused. Professor Z turned his attention back to the rest of the class and continued on with his lecture.

"Man I can't believe how much of a dumb ass he is. Maybe he hit his head too hard in football and has slight brain damage." Lucas whispered to Marshall, who was staring at Corrine.

"Marshall!" Lucas yelled in a loud whisper, nudging Marshall.

"What? Huh? Lucas did you say something?"

"Yes I did but it doesn't matter now. You really need to focus on class and not on Corrine so much like a horn dog!" Lucas quipped as he shook his head.

"I can't help it. She's so beautiful. Ever since she wanted to try out for my band… and I saw a change in her… I just can't help it!" Marshall sighed as he looked helplessly at Lucas.

"Well you better calm down before you scare her away!" Lucas retorted.

* * *

"And the brain is in control of the functions in our body. It controls heart beat, thinking, speech, and even dreams." Professor Z explained, pointing at the figure. "The brain is also broken up into two parts: consciousness, and sub consciousness. Dreams are part of our sub consciousness but we are not going to talk about that today."

When Professor Z mentioned the word dreams, both Josie and Vaughn's eyes widened, for they remembered their nightmare from last night.

Josie's eyes perked up and she began to pay close attention to the lecture. _"I wonder if Professor Z would know anything more about dreams. Like symbols, reasons why there are nightmares, other stuff_…"She thought.

"Excuse me Professor Z..."Josie said as she raised her hand.

"Yes Josie?"

"I don't mean to get off topic but you said that dreams are formed from our sub consciousness right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"So what are the factors that influence someone to dream…or even have nightmares?" She asked uneasily.

"Well, dreams can be influenced by internal or external stimuli such as our experiences, fears, what we see or hear, our desires, etc…"

"Do you think it's possible for people to have dreams that foreshadow things to come?" Josie asked nervously.

"Well it's difficult to say but I have read cases where people have had dreams or premonitions that have come true. In some instances, people were warned of a catastrophic event, and in others, well let's just say they knew what was inevitable."

"Thanks Z," Josie replied. She now felt even more tense and scared than ever before.

The whole time Professor Z and Josie were having a discussion about dreams, fear swelled up in the pit of Vaughn's stomach. It was difficult to concentrate in class for some reason. He couldn't get the dream or that thing he saw out of his mind. He began tapping his pencil nervously, staring at the board.

"Is everything okay Vaughn?" Madison whispered, placing her hand on his broad shoulder. Vaughn flinched and turned to see whose hand was on his shoulder. His eyes slowly traced the hand up to the arms and then he finally saw that it was Madison. He let out a disappointed groan and rolled his eyes before he could answer her.

"Ummm yeah fine…" He replied smugly, trying not to make eye contact with her. He turned his body away from her.

Madison moved her chair closer to him and smiled, throwing her long brown hair to one side of her shoulder.

"Wow you seem kind of tense…do you need a massage or something? She asked, inching closer to him.

"No thanks…"Vaughn replied slightly repulsed. He was trying to make a hint that he wanted to be left alone.

"Hey listen…I was wondering if you were doing anything later on tonight…? Maybe we could study or do something together…?" Madison asked seductively as she leaned over to Vaughn's ear.

Vaughn knew what she really wanted. He knew that she had ulterior motives and wanted him alone and all to herself. He knew that there was no chance in hell that he would even consider hooking up with her…even yet become involved with her. Besides…there was someone whom he would give anything to be with…and that was Josie. He kept looking straight, and kept his head turned away so that her lips would not touch his ear.

"Umm…no, I have plans with Josie tonight." Vaughn replied harshly as he looked at her reaction from the corner of his eye.

Madison's face frowned with disgust. "Oh, okay then…your loss," Madison replied snobbishly, moving her chair away from him. She rolled her eyes at Vaughn and turned her head to the front of the class. And that's when she noticed Josie. She glared at the back of Josie's bright red hair. She couldn't believe that Vaughn had any interest whatsoever in Josie. "_What the hell does he even see in her? She's short and scrawny and didn't even reach puberty yet! He should want someone like me with curves and looks more like a female! That's okay…I'll make sure he'll regret rejecting me!_" Madison thought angrily as she rolled her eyes at Josie and then at Vaughn.

* * *

"Hey Corrine" Josie whispered as she tapped her friend on the hand.

"Yeah Josie?"

"Do you think that dream I had last night was a premonition? It's something about that person…the one I saw in the movie and in my dream." Josie whispered with fearful eyes.

"Josie I told you…it could have been a figment of your imagination. Don't worry about it. Nothing's going to happen." Corrine smiled reassuringly.

"I forgot to tell you something else…" Josie said nervously.

"What?" Corrine's eyes widened in anticipation.

"When I was lying down in the bed, I saw that same person I dreamt about… standing by our bedroom door."

Corrine paused for a minute. She sighed and turned to look at Josie.

"Josie now you're sounding ridiculous. You could have seen my coat hanging on the door, not a person." Corrine whispered in a slightly annoyed tone.

Josie put her head down and then looked up at Corrine. She felt frustrated and disappointed that her roommate and best friend refused to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation.

"Forget I said anything…we'll talk about it later." Josie replied disdainfully as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine." Corrine turned her head and picked up her pen and continued to copy the notes from the board.

* * *

"Okay for our experiment today, I want you to break off into pairs. It doesn't have to be the person you're sitting next to. We are going to analyze each other's brain to see who is more left brained or right brained." Professor Z said as he walked up to the front of the class.

"Uh Professor Z"… Stu began in a worried tone. "We're not going to do brain surgery on each other are we?"

Annoyed, Professor Z placed his right hand on his forehead and shook his head.

"No Stu. I'll explain in a minute what we are going to do. Okay class we are going to take a Brain Test. This test is not long, only twenty multiple choice questions that each of you will answer. Since everyone will be breaking off into partners, you have to switch papers and tally up each other's scores. There are no right or wrong answers. With that said, class, find your partners."

There was a soft rumble in the class as everyone got up to find a partner. Marshall already knew whom he wanted to partner up with. He got out of his seat and sauntered over to Corrine's lab bench. He placed his hands on the tabletop and leaned his head closer to Corrine, as if he was about to kiss her. Corrine looked up and smiled, her face almost touched his.

"Wanna be my partner gorgeous?" Marshall asked seductively.

"Umm I don't know Marshall…I might be too much for you to handle. Besides…I don't think you'll make a good partner for me." Corrine teased with a serious face. Marshall frowned and started to turn away until he felt Corrine gently grab his arm.

"Marshall you know I was just kidding. Of course I want to be your partner! Who else would I pick?" Marshall smiled and sat down on the empty stool next to her.

"You had me going there for a minute. What did you mean by saying that you might be too much for me to handle?" Hel asked with a cheesy smile. "Are you trying to make advances at me?"

Corrine smiled and looked him up and down with hungry eyes. She bit her bottom lip and moved closer to him, placing her hand on his thigh.

"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. You'll just have to find out." She replied with a seductive smile as she gazed into his brown eyes.

Marshall looked down and saw Corrine's hand caressing his thigh. He looked up into her eyes and began to blush.

"It's starting to get hot in here…are you hot?" Marshall asked, tugging at his shirt collar and tie.

Vaughn looked aimlessly around the room, hoping to find Josie without a partner. He finally spotted her bright red hair amongst the crowd of students who were walking around the class. She was gathering her books to move to another bench, since Marshall took over her seat. Vaughn watched her intently. Everything in the room seemed to move in slow motion as she walked across the room and sat down at an empty lab bench. He was like a deer caught in headlights, unable to move because her beauty captivated his heart. He gathered his books and made his way up to Josie, who was unaware that he was coming. Vaughn walked up behind her and sat to the right of her, trying to control his racing heartbeat.

"Hey Jos, do you mind if I'm your partner?"

Josie looked up at Vaughn and her eyes widened with excitement. Her heart began to beat as if it was about to burst out of her chest. She loved the way he said her name, _Jos_, and the way he looked at her…as if he desperately wanted her. She continued to look him up and down, in awe over his body before she could return an answer.

"Hey Vaughn, no…I don't mind. I was kind of hoping you would be my partner anyway." She replied, trying not to blush.

Vaughn nodded and noticed that she was slightly blushing. "_Damn I like her so much…but I don't know how to tell her…_" He thought.

"Well then it's settled…we're partners." Vaughn smiled and placed his hand on top of hers.

* * *

"Oh great…now everyone else has a partner but me. Lucas said as he desperately searched around the room for someone decent.

"Hey Randall over here". Lucas heard someone say. He turned around and to his dismay, saw Kubiak eagerly waving his hands at him.

"No it can't be… not Mr. Dumbass!" He whined.

Stu walked over to Lucas and plopped his books down on the bench and sat down next to him.

"Ready to do this partner?" Stu looked at Lucas with a cheerful, yet spced-ot smile.

With a big sigh and a smirk on his face, Lucas looked over at Stu and put his head down on the table.

"Why me?" Lucas muttered to himself.

Professor Z began to pass out the test papers. "Oh class I forgot to mention one thing. You and your partner will be responsible for a project that is due in three weeks. You will both have to write a report on your findings and either have a model of each others' brain or any other 'creative' ways of representing your report and…" But before he could finish, the class erupted into a collective chorus of groaning and mumbling.

"Great, just my luck…I get stuck with Mr. Dumbass and now we have a project… No easy A for me…what other horrible thing can happen next?" Lucas mumbled angrily under his breath.

After about twenty minutes of dead silence, the class began to awaken from taking the test. Sounds of chattering began to fill the room.

"I'm finally finished. These questions aren't hard at all. I expected tough science questions but all of it was conceptual elementary school questions." Josie said, placing her pencil down and then glanced at Vaughn.

Vaughn stretched out his arms and yawned. "Me too. I guess we could now see which part of our brain we use the most." He replied as they exchanged papers. After tallying up each other's scores, Josie began to read Vaughn his results.

"According to Professor Z's magic Brain Test, you are right-brained. And right-brained people are good at sports, prefer rock music, and are sometimes absentminded. Sounds like you down to a tee." Josie quipped sarcastically with a light chuckle.

Vaughn looked up at Josie and began to smile. "So you think I'm absentminded huh? Well let's see what you are. You, Josie Trent, are also like me, right-brained, but you solve problems intuitively, very unpredictable and think better when lying down…"Vaughn laughed as he looked to see Josie's reaction.

Josie widened her eyes and pinched him on the arm. "So you think I'm smarter lying down? What's that supposed to mean? I can't think sitting up?"

Vaughn shrugged his shoulders and laughed. "I personally don't think that but if you want to…we could do an extra credit experiment on it…" Vaughn smirked and looked Josie up and down. He knew that he was flirting with her and hoped that she would agree to his so-called _experiment_.

Josie looked over at him and tried not to blush. She was thrilled that he was flirting with her, but she didn't know if it was _friendly flirting_ or _I want you flirting. _"Don't flatter yourself Pearson." She replied as she playfully rolled her eyes.

"Oh look here it says something else…" Vaughn began…"Right-brained people dream about things that will probably happen…"Vaughn's words started to trail off as he finished reading the last word.

He paused for a moment, thinking about what he had seen the night before. Josie was also slightly disturbed about the last statement. They both were unaware that they had something else in common…they shared the same dream. Vaughn looked up, trying not to let her see that something was on his mind. Josie continued to look down at her paper, wondering if Vaughn noticed her reaction.

"So does this mean that we're psychic?" Josie asked curiously.

"I don't know…I'm sure it doesn't…I hope not." Vaughn replied under his breath.

"It's just a stupid test…nothing to worry about." Replied Josie, as she glanced up at Vaughn, who started to show that he was worried. There was a long unsettling pause before either of them began to speak.

"You know it's funny how we both have a lot of things in common…"Vaughn began as he broke the uncomfortable silence.  
Josie looked up and saw him gazing at her and smiling. "_I wonder what he's trying to hint at." S_he thought.

"What do you mean?" Her eyes widened as she smiled.

"Well you know, we both share the same unique DNA trait, we both have one parent, were both right-brained…"

"Yeah that is funny and strange…it's rare when I have a lot of things in common with _anyone_, especially a_ guy._ "She said as she tried to avoid eye contact.

"_I wonder if we share the same feelings for each other_…" Vaughn thought as he continued to look at Josie.

_**RING**_

Finally, the bell rang. Everyone eagerly jumped out of their seats to go to the next class.

"Hey Jos do you want to start the project tonight so that we can turn it in early? That's if you don't have any plans tonight because…" Vaughn rambled on. Josie quickly placed her finger against his soft lips. Vaughn stood in amazement, not knowing if he should move her hand and draw her in closer for a kiss.

"Vaughn…you're rambling…sure… I don't have anything to do. We could start it because I really want to get this project done and over with." Josie replied with an elated smile.

"Great…how does 6:30 tonight sound?"

"That's fine…I'll catch up with you later. I have to talk to Z about something." Josie replied as she walked towards the front of the class where Professor Z stood.

* * *

"Okay Marshall do you know when you want to start this project?" Corrine asked as she stood patiently by the door. Marshall smiled and walked over to her.

"It depends…only if_ you_ know how to handle_ me."_ He replied, placing his hand on her cheek. In response, Corrine blushed, causing a feverish smile to spread across her face. Marshall took her hand as they both walked out of the door and down the hallway. Marshall stopped and turned to look at Corrine.

"Why don't we have some quiet time alone tonight…just me and you."

"Sure…I'd like that. It seems like we're always with everyone instead of being alone. I think that would be great. What time?" Corrine asked, trying not to sound too eager.

"I'll let you know when the time is right." He said sweetly as he kissed her hand and walked inside the computer class.

Corrine was in total bliss. Her heart started to race even more frequently when Marshall was around. She couldn't believe that they were finally more than friends. "_Corrine control yourself_" She whispered as she walked down the hall to her next class.

* * *

Professor Z was stood at his desk, packing papers into his briefcase. Josie walked up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Z I have a question."

"Yes Josie?"

"Do you know anything else about dreams…as in symbols or nightmares or anything else?" Josie asked nervously.

"Is there something bothering you Josie? Are you having trouble sleeping?" Z asked concernedly.

"No… no it's just that I was curious to know if you knew anything about symbolism in dreams…say a figure of a person dressed in black or something like that?"

As Josie and Professor Z talked, Vaughn was in the back of the room gathering his books. He accidentally overheard Josie mention the exact same person in his dream. Goosebumps began to run across his arms, as a chill swept down his spine. "_Could it be possible that we both saw the same figure in the movie last night…or even had the same dream?"_ He wondered, then shook it off and waved good-bye to Josie and Z as he left the class.

"Well I don't know too much about symbols in dreams but you could go on the internet and find out more. But I do know this…I've heard that mysterious looking people or objects in dreams can foreshadow ominous events to come, but that's purely speculation." Professor Z stated. " Does that help Josie? Are you sure everything is fine? I mean you have been through a lot in the past month".

"Um no I'm fine Z, I'm just curious about dreams that's all. We were watching a zombie movie last night and I guess it scared me, that's all." She replied as she nervously walked backwards out the door.

"Thanks again Z. See you later".

Josie began to walk down the hall to her next class. She didn't know what to think or do. She was in one way frightened…but in another way, determined to find out what was going on. The information that Z told her was very disturbing. Could it be true that her dream foreshadowed something sinister that was about to happen to her…or to everyone at the school? No it can't be. Maybe it was just fictional information about dreams. Besides, not everyone can interpret dreams correctly.

She then thought. "_I can't talk to Corrine about this because now she thinks I'm crazy…but who can I talk to? Lucas, Marshall, Vaughn, Z? Maybe Vaughn…he always listens to me whenever I have a problem. I guess I'll just have to research this further. I just can't seem to get this dream out of my head. I have an eerie feeling that something bad is about to happen today._"

If she only knew that this was barely the beginning of what she and another person was about to face that same day. She walked to the door of her language arts class and placed her hand on the knob. She turned and looked around the hallway solemnly, as if this was her last day on earth. She stepped inside the class and closed the door behind her.

**A/N: Finally Chapter 4! Sorry for the wait. This chapter is longer than the others. I didn't want to speed up this story because I want to build up on suspense. I hope you guys like it! I see that a lot of you have read my story, but there are a little bit of reviews. Please Please review my fic so that I'll know if you definitely liked it or if I need to change a few things! It will be greatly appreciated! Chapter 5 coming up soon!**


	5. What Dreams May Come

**What Dreams May Come**

**10:05am**

Josie stepped inside her English class a few minutes before the bell rang. She quickly scanned the room for a seat and found one next to her good friend Lucas.

"Hey Josie over here" Lucas called, motioning her to the empty seat beside him. Josie smiled and walked over and sat down.

"I was saving this seat for you, just in case you couldn't find one. Besides, friends have to look out for each other," Lucas said sweetly as he smiled shyly at Josie.

Josie smiled. "Thanks. Tell me about it…I realized that it's crucial that we all keep an eye out for each other…especially after that whole ordeal we went through last month. We have to stay even closer to each other than ever before." Josie turned her head away from Lucas, trying to hide her watering eyes from him.

Lucas glanced at Josie and noticed that something wasn't quite right with her. He noticed that her spunk and attitude was not as sharp and witty as it had been before her disappearance. She seemed solemn and worried ever since Sunday. He also noticed that Vaughn was acting the same way. Perhaps they really did get into a fight? Lucas began to smile at this very thought but soon frowned when he realized that he just saw the two of them sitting together and laughing in Professor Z's class a few minutes ago. He turned his head away from looking at Josie as his heart sank.

"Yeah that was a hellish month." Lucas began. "Everything was so crazy and stressful. We had to keep your disappearance a secret from everyone else in the school. Durst didn't want anyone else to know because she feared that the school would be forced to shut down."

Josie looked at Lucas with tears in her eyes, noticing that her disappearance also hurt and in some way, angered him. She quickly wiped them before Lucas could see that she was starting to cry.

"I'm truly sorry that I didn't listen to you guys when you told me not to take that darn ball. If I wouldn't have taken it from Victor then…"

"Josie it's done and over with" Lucas interrupted. "Stop beating yourself up and dwelling on the past. The most important thing now is that we got you back, and nothing's going to happen." He looked deep into her eyes and placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"I guess you're right. I just have to…"

"_Chillax_" Lucas said grinning.

Josie smirked and rolled her eyes. "I don't know how you come up with these dumb words Lucas."

He shrugged his shoulders and stretched his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "Well I personally love my words. They're original and no one else has a clever mind like me." Lucas bragged. Josie rolled her eyes and shook her head. There was a few seconds of comfortable silence between them until Josie looked over at Lucas and began to speak.

"Thanks again Lucas" Josie said, placing her hand on top of his.

Lucas sobered up from his laughing and noticed that she had her hand on top of his. He was dumbstruck for a moment until he was finally able to speak.

"F-for or what?" he finally asked.

"For never giving up on me." Josie smiled and patted his hands and removed her hands from on top of his.

Lucas smiled and felt honored by her words. He realized that Josie did care about him and was happy that their friendship was solid. He savored the thirty seconds of her warm, soft hands that were on top of his.

"Well you know it wasn't just me who never gave up on you. There was Marshall, Corrine, Z, and not to mention _Vaughn_. Lucas tried not to sound too sarcastic at the mention of Vaughn's name.

Josie noticed the way Lucas pronounced his name and laughed in her head. _"He must really be pissed that Vaughn and I are so close. I wonder how he would feel if we actually started dating_?" Josie thought, crossing her fingers under the desk. She ignored Lucas' behavior towards Vaughn and continued to listen to what he was saying.

"I'm just glad to have you back…I-I mean we're all glad to have you back," Lucas stuttered as his face started to blush.

"I'm glad to be back." Josie smiled and turned her head to look at the board. As she moved her eyes across the front of the room, she caught Madison staring at her by the door. Lucas also looked up and noticed her evil glare.

"Is there a problem Miss Hot Pants?" Josie sneered, raising her eyebrows. Madison rolled her eyes and walked to the back of the classroom to take a seat. She was still giving Josie a death glare. Josie turned around and saw her continually staring at her.

"You obviously must have a problem don't you! Do you want me to come back there and solve your problem for you?" Josie said threateningly, raising herself out of the seat ready for the attack.

"I don't see you doing _anything_. Why don't you _try_ to come back here and solve my problem for me _shrimp_!" Madison sneered, still staring Josie down as if to intimidate her.

Before Josie could leap out of her seat and bash Madison in the face, Lucas quickly grabbed her arm.

"No Josie don't…She's not worth it. Don't get expelled over some dumb cheerleader who's obviously jealous of you."

"What did you call me Randall!" Madison exclaimed, popping her eyes out and raising out of her seat. Before she could walk over to where Josie and Lucas were seated, Ms. Dubin stepped into the room.

"Going somewhere Madison?" she asked sternly. "Please take your seat NOW."

Infuriated, Madison turned around and sat back down in her seat. Josie, who was still staring down Madison, was turned around by Lucas. "Josie, ignore her PLEASE…for me?"

Josie met Lucas's eyes and then looked down. "I wonder what the heck she has against me?" Josie asked, still flustered.

"Don't worry about it…I think I know why…_Vaughn_" Lucas said under his breath.

After a couple of seconds, Josie cooled down and tapped Lucas on the shoulder.

"Thanks for holding me back from pounding that jerk's face in." Josie slightlygiggled.

Lucas grinned and extended his arm out and touched her on the shoulder. "Remind me not to ever make you angry Josie. I don't ever want to get my butt kicked by you! You're scary!" Lucas laughed. Josie smiled turned to look at Lucas.

"Well let's just hope that I won't _have _to." She replied with a straight face before she burst out into quiet laughter.

* * *

Vaughn was sitting in the second row waiting for his math class to start. He was twiddling his thumbs impatiently, contemplating about his plans for the rest of the day. Once again, he began to think about Josie and a big smile spread across his face. He knew that he and Josie were becoming even closer after that whole ordeal they went through. Her absence for that whole month made his heart grow fonder for her. Feelings that he never thought were there began to emerge out of nowhere. Maybe he had feelings for her in the beginning but was too stubborn to acknowledge them? "_How am I supposed to tell her how I feel?_ Vaughn thought. _"Should I tell her or keep quiet? No, I can't keep these feelings down any longer…I can't keep ignoring the way she makes me feel when I'm around her…It's either now or never…" _Vaughn looked up and noticed Corrine walking through the door. She had a huge smile on her face as if she was a little girl in a candy store. Vaughn laughed to himself as he continued to watch her being oblivious to her surroundings.

"Corrine…Corrine!" Vaughn shouted. She suddenly snapped out of her daydream and looked around the room to see who called her name. Vaughn waved his hands to get her attention.

"Uh Corrine over here it's me _Vaughn your friend_? I saved you a seat."

Corrine smiled and walked over towards his direction and sat down beside him.

"Are you alright?" You seem to be a little distracted." Vaughn asked raising his eyebrows. Corrine was once again staring off into space, smiling like an idiot.

"Did you say something Vaughn?" She asked turning towards him.

"**A r e y o u o k a y**!" Vaughn said slowly, moving his hands as if he was speaking in sign language.

"Oh yeah…things are just perfect." Corrine sighed with a huge grin on her face.

"Okay…do you have something on your mind that you would like to share with me?" Vaughn asked curiously.

Corrine finally returned back to reality and looked over at Vaughn, who was now making weird faces at her.

What's with the weird faces?" She asked frowning.

"You're acting a little too weird for me…I have never seen you this happy before. Does this have anything to do with our dear friend _Marshall_? Vaughn grinned mischievously.

At the very mention of Marshall's name, Corrine's heart started racing frantically as if she was about to have a heart attack.

"Now why does it have to be a guy that would make me smile like this? Can't I be in a happy mood?" She asked coyly.

Vaughn rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Just admit it! It's Marshall! Man you guys must really be in love. You two can't stop smiling, or making out with each other. Unfortunately I'm always around to see your PDA."

"Haha very funny Vaughn. So…what's up with you and Josie? You two have become mighty close in the past month." Corrine replied nosily.

Vaughn smirked and kept quiet for a few seconds before answering her. He didn't want to say the wrong thing or ruin his chance with Josie.

"Promise not to tell anyone…not even Josie?" Vaughn began, with a serious look on his face.

"Sure, I won't tell…this is between me and you" Corrine said trying to hide her smile.

"I…I…how do I say this…my feelings for Josie are becoming stronger every day. I can't stop thinking about her and I've become nervous when she's around…but I don't think she notices" Vaughn finally blurted out.

Corrine widened her eyes as a huge grin swept across her face. "You should just tell her. And if I'm not mistaken, I think she feels the same way about you."

"Has she said anything to you about me?" Vaughn's heart began to drop and pound harder as his eyes widened.

"Well, I can't tell you what she said because I'm sworn to secrecy, but I have noticed that every time someone mentions your name or when you come around, she gets nervous and very giddy." Corrine replied, smiling.

"So what do you…how do you think I should tell her?"

"Aren't you guys partners for the science project?"

"Yeah but…"

"But nothing…"Corrine interjected. "When you two are alone and working on your project, you could tell her then…or if you can't wait, tell her at lunch when she's alone. Don't waste time…you never know when it will be too late to tell her."

"But I hope she doesn't reject me…"

Corrine rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. "Vaughn! Stop being a punk and tell her! Be brave! You are not a coward in any way. I think that's what she admires most about you, besides the simple fact that you have muscles that could make any girl scream…Corrine added as she glanced at his muscular arms. Vaughn perked up as a huge smile swept across his face.

"She also admires your confidence and the simple fact that like her, you don't back down from a fight. So promise me you'll tell her?"

Corrine asked sweetly as she patted him on his muscular arm.

He was shocked that Corrine would be so commanding and at the same time boost up his self esteem. He grinned and nodded his head in agreement to her advice, for he was afraid that if he didn't agree, she would yell at him again.

Vaughn thought about every encouraging word that Corrine said to him. Before he dared to say anything that would make him sound like a punk, he thought he should make a deal with Corrine.

"Only if you promise me one thing…" Vaughn began, smiling at her.

"And what's that might I ask?" Corrine asked suspiciously, giving him a half smile.

"You and Marshall have to stop making out in front of the whole world and get a room!" Vaughn laughed as Corrine blushed from embarrassment. She put her had in her hands and giggled and looked up at Vaughn.

"It's that _bad_?" She asked, with wide eyes.

Vaughn continued to laugh and nodded his head up and down in agreement. "Yes it's so bad that it's sickening," he added, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh shut up Vaughn!" Corrine exclaimed and retaliated by hitting him on the shoulder.

She then looked at Vaughn who was once again laughing and rolled her eyes at him. "I hope you pee on yourself!" She exclaimed and then extended her hand out for him to shake.

"Deal" she said as they both shook hands and laughed at each other.

* * *

**10:48am**

As class time began to wind down, Josie and Lucas were trying hard not to fall asleep. Lucas was resting his head in his hands, staring blankly at Ms. Dubin, while Josie was doodling in her notebook. Josie took her eyes off of her notebook and looked up at the clock.

"I can't believe we have twenty-five minutes left in this crap hole! I can't wait for this day to be over!" Josie sighed, putting her head in her hands.

Lucas looked over at Josie and then at her artwork. "What's that you're drawing?" Lucas asked leaning slightly over to get a closer look. "I could tell that the picture of the girl with long hair and a round body is no one other than you're good pal Madison. Ouch you're brutal! You have her name as _Fat Dummy_ next to her picture!" Lucas laughed, trying not to catch Ms. Dubin's attention.

"Well I couldn't draw her skinny and the word _fat _and _dummy_ were the only nice words that I could use to describe her" Josie chuckled, looking at the picture.

Lucas then saw another picture that she had drawn. It was colored in all black. The face was shaded in and the body had no definition. It appeared to have some sort of cape around the shoulders and there were no legs. The way she drew it made him feel weird, as if the figure was pure evil. Puzzled, Lucas looked at Josie and then at the strange drawing. He didn't know what to think…let alone ask her.

"Um Josie…what the heck is that?" Lucas whispered quietly as he pointed to the picture.

Josie looked at the figure and then at Lucas with her mouth slightly opened.

"Uh nothing…nothing Lucas" she stuttered as she quickly closed her notebook.

Lucas stared at her confused. "Okay"…he replied slowly, noticing that Josie was hiding something.

"Josie is there anything you want to tell me?" He asked concerned.

Josie kept looking straight in front of the class as if she didn't hear his question. She contemplated on telling him but figured that he wouldn't believe her and would think that she was crazy.

"Josie…is everything okay?" Lucas asked again, laying his hand gently on her shoulder.

She slowly turned her head to look at him and quickly put a smile on her face.

"Yeah fine…everything's fine…why do you ask?"

"Well because when I asked you about that figure you drew, you rushed and closed your notebook. And not to mention you seem nervous." Lucas replied with a worrisome tone.

"Oh, Lucas, it's nothing…really I'm fine." Josie replied reassuringly. "Don't worry."

"Okay but if you need to talk I'm always here." Lucas replied sincerely.

Josie smiled at him and tapped him on the shoulder. She was flattered that Lucas was worried about her, but for some reason she wasn't comfortable with telling him about the figure…or the dream. As she began to turn her head from Lucas' direction, she noticed something outside of the classroom door. She saw the janitor pacing back and forth down the hall as if he was contemplating something.

"Hey Lucas look" Josie whispered.

"At what?" Lucas asked confused.

"Look through the door window. Do you see the janitor pacing back and forth?"

"Yeah, what's so interesting about that?" Lucas raised his eyebrow.

"I don't know but he seems to be anxious about something…but I'm not sure what" Josie replied, as she bit her bottom lip softly.

"Well whatever it is it doesn't concern you so you shouldn't even bother" Lucas retorted sternly.

As Lucas and Josie continued to stare at the janitor, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned and glared at them. He then began to walk towards their classroom door and stopped, staring at them through the door window.

"Oh crap he's coming right in here!" Lucas let out a loud gasp, which caught the attention of Ms. Dubin.

"Mr. Randall and Ms. Trent, what's so interesting at the door?" Ms. Dubin asked curiously.

She then turned around and looked in the direction of the door and noticed the janitor standing still, staring at them.

"Why is he just standing there?" Ms. Dubin asked frowning. She then walked over to the door and opened it. "Can I help you?" she asked the janitor.

Lucas and Josie did not break their gaze from the janitor as he continued to stare at them with a blank face. He finally broke his gaze from them and turned to look at Ms. Dubin.

"Well?" She asked, now sounding annoyed.

"Nothing…just making sure your students didn't see anything out of the ordinary…" He sneered cryptically and then turned and walked away.

Josie and Lucas looked at each other without saying a word. Ms. Dubin closed the door and walked back over to the board. Just before she could open her mouth the bell rang and Lucas and Josie flinched.

"Okay class we will continue with Shakespeare tomorrow" Ms. Dubin began as she tried to talk over the rumbling of the students walking.

"What in the world was all of that weirdness with the janitor about? Josie did you see how that maniac looked at us?" Lucas said, sounding nervous.

Josie widened her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah…I wonder what he meant by saying that he was making sure that we didn't see anything out of the ordinary?" Josie was now alarmed_. Does he know about what I saw in my room and in my dream? No he couldn't have…" _Josie thought.

"We should tell the others at lunch about this." Lucas finally blurted out.

"Yeah, something freaky is happening and we have to find out" Josie agreed.

"Okay. I'll see Vaughn and Marshall in gym right now and I'll tell them that we all must meet for lunch" Lucas said.

"Fine, Corrine is in my French class next and I'll tell her the same. Remember; don't mention this to anyone until lunch. We don't want to alarm the school" Josie said sternly.

"Better yet, instead of meeting in the caf for lunch, we should meet outside at the bench by the tree" Lucas added.

"Okay, see you then." Josie said as she walked out of the class.

Lucas watched her as she left the class. He waited a couple of seconds before he too left the room. As he began to walk down the hall, he noticed the janitor standing by the staircase, staring at him. He felt an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach and turned away from his glare.

* * *

Just then Marshall stepped out of his class and began walking down the hall. He noticed Lucas walking slowly, staring at the staircase.

"Hey Lukester!" Marshall yelled, jogging up behind Lucas. "Wait for me!"

Lucas stopped and turned around to greet him. He noticed that the janitor was not standing at the staircase anymore.

"Weird" Lucas said under his breath.

"What's weird?" Marshall asked confused as he turned his head around to look at the staircase. "What are you looking at?"

Lucas had a look of worry and confusion written all over his face. Marshall noticed that something was bothering him and began to look at him confusedly.

"What's wrong?" Marshall asked, hoping this time Lucas would return an answer.

Lucas finally snapped out of his trance and turned to look at Marshall. "Uh…nothing…I'm fine," he finally answered.

"You don't look like you're fine are you sure?" Marshall asked as he placed his hand on Lucas' shoulder.

"Hey when you came down the hall did you notice the janitor standing by the staircase?" Lucas asked.

"No, I didn't see anyone, why?" Marshall asked raising his eyebrows.

"Could have sworn that he was standing there staring at me." Lucas said in a hushed voice.

"It was probably nothing." Marshall said reassuringly.

"Yeah you're right." Lucas said as the both started walking down the hallway towards the front door.

"Marshall listen" Lucas began. "We all have to meet at lunch. It's very important and I have to also tell Vaughn when we see him at the gym."

"Okay…what's so important?" Marshall asked sounding confused.

"I can't tell you now…Josie and I agreed to tell everyone at lunch." Lucas retorted.

Marshall smirked. "What do you guys want to announce your engagement or something?" He asked jokingly.

"No Marshall. Don't be stupid, this is serious. You will have to wait until lunch!" Lucas retorted impatiently.

"Is it just me or is everyone somehow afraid of something? I mean first Vaughn seemed scared of something and wouldn't talk to me in the hall and now you are starting to see things. I am starting to get really annoyed and pissed off!" Marshall said raising his voice a little.

"Marshall calm down. Everything will be straightened out at lunch when we're all together." Lucas patted his back, trying to calm him down.

"Well I hope so. I can't stand this… I need Corrine!" Marshall sighed.

Lucas looked over at his friend and laughed. Marshall became even more annoyed and rolled his eyes. "What are you laughing at?"

"You! Because you said that you need Corrine as if you were a baby that is crying for his mommy! What's wrong, it's time for you to be breast fed?" Lucas laughed hysterically, trying to keep his balance to walk straight.

"Haha very funny! At least I have someone to breast feed me!" Marshall retorted.

Lucas stopped laughing and turned around with a disgusted look on his face. "Okay Marshall TMI. I hope that Corrine really isn't breast feeding you because that would be disgusting as well as disturbing!"

"You know I didn't mean it _that_ way!" Marshall said punching Lucas on the arm. "I meant to say at least I have someone who would allow me to caress her breasts." Marshall paused for a moment and began to make faces at his own comment.

"Okay enough about Corrine's breasts and what you do with them 'cause I don't care. TMI Wheeler…TMI." Lucas chuckled.

"Fine…" Marshall said as they both walked outside and began their decent across the lawn to the gym.

"With all joking aside we have to figure some things out" Lucas said worriedly. "Whatever is going on I have a strange feeling that it's about to happen soon."

"What do you think is going to happen? You mean something might happen to us five or the whole school?" Marshall asked with great concern.

"I don't know but whatever it is we all have to stay alert and keep a close eye on each other." Lucas replied nervously.

As Lucas and Marshall continued to walk across the lawn, the janitor stood outside in front of the school. They had no idea that he was watching their every move. "They must beware of what they see" he said quietly to himself as he walked back into the school and began to sweep the floor. No one, not even the janitor, could ever guess what sinister plot is in store for Blake Holsey High... as a whole? Or just for some of its students? Whatever it is...it will be a battle that must be won.

**A/N: Hello guys, so how did you like it? I know it's long and the plot keeps thickening but no worry there is soooo much more to come! I already have this story outlined for all of my chapters but more stuff keeps coming in my head! I wanted to make this chapter good, that's why it took me so long to update. Stay tuned! Please rate and review! I appreciate it! Also thanks to everyone who has read this fanfic and/or has read and reviewed it!**

Retur


	6. I'll Be Watching You

**A/N: Hello Darlings. I am soooo sorry that it took me so long to post this chapter. I had writers block for the first week and I decided to stay away from it for a few days until the floodgate of ideas opened and fortunately it did! I hope you guys like this chapter. Chapter 7 will not take too long to come up b/c I am bursting with ideas. Please read and review or whatever. I will greatly appreciate it! I am also writing another SDABHH fic but it won't be out until this is done! Read and enjoy! **

* * *

**11:57 am**

"Three minutes and counting…" Josie said under her breath as she looked at her watch. She turned to her right and saw Corrine busily writing notes as the French Professor spoke.

**RING!**

As the bell rang Corrine and Josie packed their bags as they got out of their seats. They walked out of the classroom and began their decent down the hall towards the backdoor.

"I'm glad we're sitting outside today…it's just too hot in here." Corrine said fanning herself.

"Yeah we'll have plenty of privacy by the tree outside so that no one can hear our conversation." Josie stated.

"What's this _secret meeting_ about anyway?" Corrine asked.

"You'll find out when all five of us are together," Josie answered as they walked out of the backdoor, making their way over to a table and bench that sat under an old willow tree.

They sat down on opposite sides of each other, placing their bags beside them on the ground.

"So…about you and Vaughn…" Corrine began with a sly, knowing smile.

"What about us?" Josie asked, widening her eyes.

Corrine smiled and rolled her eyes. "You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about. You two have become closer ever since you came back."

"Well…I'll admit that we _have _but I'm not sure how he feels about me…He flirts with me a lot but I don't know if it's just friendly or…"

"You know what I think?" Corrine interjected. "I think that you two need to lay it out on the table. You both have to cut the crap and just tell each other how you feel."

"Yeah I know…but how and when do I bring it up? I don't want to put myself out there and get rejected and feel like an ass." Josie sighed as she glanced down at her hands.

"Just tell him when you two are working on your project together. Do it when you take a 15 minute break or something." Corrine smiled reassuringly.

"I guess you're right…" Josie answered dejectedly as she looked up from her hands at Corrine.

Corrine patted Josie's hand and smiled. "Don't worry…it'll be fine trust me… just bring it up when the time is right. Who knows…maybe he will say something before you do."

"I hope so because I'm not good at initiating mushy stuff or telling anyone my feelings unless I know how they feel first." Josie sighed.

Corrine shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip. "Josie…stop it! You're going to have to take that risk whether you want to or not. If you keep thinking about the negative side, you'll miss out on the positive side. So…enough about this…you're going to tell him and you're going to do it today!"

Josie widened her eyes and laughed. "Yes ma'am!" she said as she raised her hand and saluted Corrine.

"Hey are you getting anything to eat?" Josie asked.

Corrine made a disgusted frown and nodded. "I'm not touching that nasty food today. Besides I have a sandwich and a bottle of water. How about you?"

"No I'm not hungry. I just bought my water." Josie replied as she pulled out a water bottle.

"Where are the guys? They are taking too long!" Corrine complained, looking around the area.

"I think they're at the gym and are probably changing their clothes. They should be here any minute now." Josie replied.

"Well they need to hurry up or we won't have any time to talk." Corrine retorted, shaking her head in disappointment

"You seem very anxious…are you awaiting your prince charming?" Josie asked with a teasing grin as she took a sip of water.

Corrine immediately blushed. She desperately tried to stop her mouth from forming a cheesy smile. "As a matter of fact yes…unlike _you _I can admit when I want to see the guy I like." She giggled.

Josie rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yeah right. You weren't like this when you first started having feelings for Marshall. You would act shy and sneak glances at him. You were totally love struck and could not speak whenever he was around!"

Corrine laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "Well maybe so but I got over it… and now we're inseparable." She batted her eyes and clasped her hands together as she looked up towards the sky.

"Oh give me a _break_! You know…you two are so cute together that it's sickening." Josie exclaimed as she took another sip from the water bottle.

"Whatever…you know Vaughn said the same thing to me in math class today. You two are alike in so many ways that it's _nauseating."_ Corrine giggled as Josie threw a piece of paper at her.

"Yeah I've noticed." Josie replied as she began twirling a strand of her flaming red hair with her finger.

"They still aren't here? It's been like fifteen minutes since lunch time started and we don't have that much time!" Corrine complained as she stood up to scan the courtyard again.

"Hmm…maybe they're showering" Josie questioned with a smirk on her face.

"Well they need to hurry up. It's not normal for guys to take long showers." Corrine protested as she rolled her eyes.

"I wonder what they could be doing in the shower…" Josie's voice began to trail off as she stared off into space.

There was a long pause as they simultaneously started to daydream about the guys showering. Josie fantasized about Vaughn, while Corrine did the same about Marshall.

"I wonder how the water looks as it trickles down Vaughn's muscular body." Josie whispered as a mischievous grin spread across her face.

Corrine was also staring off into space with a huge smile on her face. "Yeah… I wonder how Marshall looks as the water splashes down on his face and drips down his body…"

"Whoa it's getting hotter out here!" Josie exclaimed as she placed the ice-cold water bottle on her forehead. " I think we need to stop fantasizing about them showering!"

"Yeah we're a couple of perverts aren't we!" Corrine giggled as she began fanning herself with her hands.

* * *

At the same time they were busily laughing, Vaughn, Marshall, and Lucas strolled over to the bench where they were sitting.

"Hey what's all the laughing about?" Lucas asked.

Corrine and Josie looked up at Lucas and then glanced over at Vaughn and Marshall,which caused them to burst into laughter. All three of the guys looked at each other quizzically as they stood staring at the girls in confusion.

"Oh it's nothing." Corrine finally answered once she stopped laughing.

"Yeah…sorry guys Corrine and I were just thinking about something and fooling around." Josie giggled.

Marshall widened his eyes as a big smile spread across his face. "So you two were _fooling_ around? What were you doing?"

Silence fell over the group as they turned to face Marshall. Vaughn and Lucas turned their heads away to conceal their smiles so that they wouldn't start laughing. Corrine and Josie, on the other hand, stared at each other and widened their eyes. Their mouths dropped open in amazement at Marshall's perverted insinuation.

"What the heck are you talking about Marshall? Get your head out of the gutter!" Josie yelled.

"Marshall…I mean really…I am totally lost for words" Corrine replied, shaking her head with disdain.

"Come on girls I was just joking. I wasn't really suggesting that you two…you know…" Marshall replied in an attempt to redeem himself in the best way possible. Vaughn nudged him in the arm as he tried to hold back his laughter, but couldn't.

"Whatever perv." Josie said with a contemptuous frown, as she tried hard not to laugh again.

"Well do you two mind telling us what you were laughing at? I want to laugh too!" Lucas asked curiously.

"Trust me Lucas you _really _don't want to know." Corrine replied as she glanced over at Josie with a secretive smile.

Lucas shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I give up. You two are weird." He muttered as he took a seat next to Corrine.

Vaughn and Marshall continued to stand by the corner of the table where Josie and Corrine were sitting. They were both admiring the two young women who captured their hearts. Marshall smiled and scooted over next to Corrine and put his arm around her. He turned his head and planted a kiss on her cheek. Corrine smiled and turned her head to meet his brown eyes. They both began to lean in towards each other to kiss before they were rudely interrupted by Vaughn's sarcastic remark.

"Excuse me but we all don't want to see that." Vaughn retorted glaring down at the two lovebirds. He then raised his eyebrows at Corrine, reminding her of the deal they made with each other in math class. Corrine sighed and rolled her eyes at Vaughn and pulled away from Marshall. Marshall looked at Corrine in astonishment as she shifted her body away from him.

"Who are you…the kissing police?" Marshall shot back with an angry scowl. He rolled his eyes and stuck his middle finger up at Vaughn. "That's for ruining the moment."

Vaughn laughed and sat down next to Josie. "And I love you too Marshall." Vaughn retorted as he playfully blew a kiss at him. Marshall widened his eyes and made a disgusted face at him. Corrine, Josie and Lucas sat quietly laughing, enjoying every bit of the show.

"I knew it! I've always known that you two had a thing for each other!" Lucas said, bursting out into laughter.

"Ha ha ha shut up Lucas…" Marshall mumbled glaring at Lucas and then at Vaughn, who was now laughing hysterically.

Corrine felt bad that they were teasing him and decided to make it up to him. She gently turned his face towards hers and planted a sweet, loving kiss on his lips. Marshall couldn't help but smile as they parted from kissing. Corrine turned to Vaughn and stared at him. Vaughn stuck his finger in his mouth to pretend like he was gagging from watching them kiss. As the foolishness died down, Vaughn decided to direct his attention towards someone more meaningful. He turned to face Josie as she was talking to Corrine.

"Hey" he said as she turned to face him. He gave her a wink and smiled at her sweetly.

Josie slightly blushed and smiled, trying to control her heart from bursting out of her chest.

"Hey" she finally answered shyly as they both gazed into each other's eyes.

Marshall and Corrine noticed Vaughn and Josie staring at each other and chuckled. Marshall leaned over and began to whisper into Corrine's ear.

"I bet you they will be making out by the end of the day." He then moved his lips from her ear and secretly began to kiss her on the neck. Corrine flinched and nudged Marshall in the ribs and giggled.

"Marshall you know not to kiss me there…it's my weak spot remember?" She whispered as she tried to move her head away from his soft lips.

Marshall grinned mischievously and gently tilted her head closer to him. "That's why I did that…" He whispered into her ear and wrapped his arms around her and embraced her in a loving hug.

At the same time all of this was going on, Lucas kept looking away from the make out scene and began contemplating about the janitor and what needs to be done about the situation. He peered over at his friends who were still caught up in the moment and rolled his eyes.

"I think I'm going to be sick." He muttered as he pounded his fist twice on the bench to get their attention. "Okay guys I don't mean to interrupt your romantic interludes but it's time we get down to business," he said sternly.

Marshall moved his arms from around Corrine and glared at Lucas, who now had an irritated frown on his face.

"Lucas was it really necessary to pound your fist on the table like a madman?" Marshall glowered. "What's with you man? You seem upset at something…do you mind telling us what it is?"

Just then Josie, Vaughn, and Corrine turned their attention to Lucas and noticed the expression on his face.

Lucas looked away from Marshall's stare and glanced down at his hands. He knew Marshall was right. Something was bothering him. He couldn't say that it made him insanely mad that Josie and Vaughn were close and the simple fact that he didn't have anyone to love. He decided to keep his feelings to himself and concentrate on the real matter at hand. He groaned and looked back up at Marshall.

"As a matter of fact yes…there is something bothering me…" Lucas began to say. Something weird happened in English class with me and Josie and that's why we called a meeting."

"Yeah…we think the janitor is acting weird." Josie concurred.

"So why do you think he's acting weird? He's always been that way." Marshall interjected.

"This time we think he's hiding something…he's acting really suspicious." Lucas answered.

"So tell us what happened," Vaughn said anxiously to Lucas.

Lucas and Josie began to tell them everything that happened in English class. The near beat down Josie almost gave Madison and…

"Alright Josie!" Marshall interrupted as he leaned over and gave her a high five. Josie shook her head and laughed and Lucas continued on with the story. He told them how the janitor stood at the classroom door and stared them down.

"He said something really disturbing…"Lucas began. "He told Ms. Dubin that he was _making sure that we didn't see anything_."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Vaughn asked confusedly.

"Who knows…I thought he was talking about the fact that Josie and I were staring at him pacing back and forth." Lucas answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"He could have been talking about something else…" Corrine added, looking at Josie.

"Yeah but what? We didn't see anything out of the ordinary." Josie replied, trying to avoid eye contact with Corrine. She then paused for a moment as a chill crept up her arm. She suddenly remembered the person she saw in her room. She knew that this was what Corrine was hinting at but she decided that she was _not_ going to tell the others about what she saw the night before. Vaughn too remembered what he saw in his room but decided to keep quiet.

"And you want to know what other weird thing that happened…?" Lucas continued as he widened his eyes. "As I was leaving class after Josie, that weirdo stared me down again, but he seemed worried this time."

"Oh so that's why you were acting all weird and scared when I saw you?" Marshall asked.

"Yeah…but I wasn't _scared_. I didn't want to say anything right then and there because he would hear us." Lucas replied.

"But why would he be worried about anything? We got Josie back and returned the ball to Victor…" Corrine added.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that everything is okay…There may still be someone or something who wants that ball out of Victor's hands! Josie exclaimed. "I still believe that the janitor knows something, but he's trying to hide it…the only way we could find out is to…"

"Oh no, no Josie, we are **not **going to ask the janitor anything…"Lucas interrupted, shaking his head in disagreement. "We don't know if he's working for us or against us…we must keep this to ourselves…"

"Who said anything about asking him?" Josie retorted raising her eyebrow. "All I'm saying is that we should keep a close eye on him…don't let him get out of our sight."

"That's still a bad idea Jos." Lucas quipped sternly. "I don't want history repeating itself or worse…"

"But that's not going to happen again if _each and every one_ of us are working together!" Josie snapped back, glaring at Lucas.

Lucas continued to nod his head in disagreement. "Still won't work…"

Josie rolled her eyes and sulked back, slightly leaning over on Vaughn. Vaughn stopped looking and Lucas and turned his attention towards Josie, whose face was now flushed red with anger. He took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him.

"It'll be okay Josie. I support your plan one hundred percent." He whispered into her ear.

"So are you trying to say that we can't tell Z Lucas?" Marshall asked with a thwarted frown.

"Right now…no, because we don't really have enough evidence of anything going on…and plus what if Durst finds out about this…? Lucas asked, in an irritated tone.

"I don't think Z would tell Durst anything…he never did before." Corrine stated.

"I think we should at least mention this to Z before something really happens…" Vaughn said, facing Lucas. "We don't want to act too late."

"I think Vaughn's right" Corrine added. "We have to watch out for anything that seems weird to us. We have to play it smart…there's no telling what's out there…"

There was a long silence after Corrine's words trailed off into the atmosphere. Everyone contemplated on the impending situation. Should they spy on the janitor and not tell anyone or should they forget about the whole thing? A look of worry and frustration swept across their faces.

"So what are we going to do guys?" Vaughn asked, looking at everyone with anticipation and nervousness written all over his face. "We haven't agreed to any plan of action as far as I'm concerned…"

"I personally think that we should keep a close eye on the janitor without him noticing…even if _someone_ thinks it's a dumb idea" Josie said, eyeing Lucas. "We should continue to act normal…as if we're not suspicious of anything."

Lucas caught Josie's harsh glare and rolled his eyes. "So how are we supposed to _spy_ on him? What if he is suspicious about us being oblivious to everything that is going on here?"

"He could be spying on us right now and we don't even know it." Corrine whispered as she looked behind her back expecting to see the janitor.

"Lets just all calm down and think rationally for once…" Marshall interceded. "First of all Lucas I think you are diving too far into this and secondly we're all safe and nothing has happened right? I agree with spying on the janitor and telling Z about all of this…that's the safest and smartest thing we can do."

"I agree with Marshall…that sounds like a good plan," Vaughn said as his mood perked up a little.

"I think that if we see any other disturbing things or the next weird crap the janitor pulls, we should definitely tell Z. He would only tell us that the janitor's reaction to Lucas and Josie staring at him was normal. It's the only way we could get Z to believe us when we see him doing something crazy," Corrine said as she eyed everyone at the table.

Lucas groaned, resting his head in the palm of his hands. Marshall glanced over at his frustrated roommate and frowned, now irritated with his lack of camaraderie towards everyone else.

"What's wrong now Lucas, you still don't like our plan?" Marshall asked.

"No. It's not that…I'm just…I don't know anymore alright!" Lucas shouted angrily.

"I just hope we're going about this the right way. Who knows the janitor may not be hiding anything."

"What do you mean Lucas? You saw how he was acting…what's with this change of heart?" Josie asked, raising her voice.

"I'm not having a change of heart Josie…I just think that he shouldn't be the only one we watch…maybe there are other people who we don't know about," Lucas shot back, sounding irritated.

"You mean people in the school?" Marshall asked.

"Not necessarily…"Lucas began. "It could be people only he knows…people who are from his time…"

Everyone looked at each other and then stared at Lucas. It was apparent that everyone had just about had it with Lucas and his conspiracy theories.

"Lucas I think that you are taking these theories too far. They're starting to sound more retarded than your wild alien conspiracy stories. You're making things too complicated. Just stay with us on the same page and take it one step at a time," Vaughn retorted, becoming more frustrated by the minute.

Lucas glared at Vaughn. "Well at least it's a start…I don't see you coming up with anything useful _smart ass_" Lucas blurted out harshly. Josie glared at Lucas for a few seconds and then turned her attention to Corrine, who had a worried expression on her face as she was resting her head on Marshall's shoulder.

Corrine perked up and began to speak. "So…are we all in agreement that we're going to watch the janitor _and_ **if** we see something disturbing we will tell Z?" She asked as she looked at everyone's faces. There was a long silence as everyone took a minute or so to decide whether or not they were in agreement to the plan.

"I'm for it" Josie spoke up first. "Besides, it was _my_ idea in the first place" she said playfully to Corrine.

"Me too" chimed in Vaughn.

"So am I. How can I not agree with the love of my life?" Marshall replied, as he gently took Corrine's hand and kissed it.

"Oh brother" Vaughn retorted as he rolled his eyes at Marshall.

"Lucas?" Corrine said as they all turned to look at him. "Are you in or out?"

Lucas noticed everyone's eyes intently staring at him. He could feel the coldness coming from Josie's eyes as he caught her glare. He began to feel conflicted and pressured as he thought about their plan and his concerns about it. He knew that there was more at stake but dared not to argue his views with them. He decided that he would just have to prove it to them, no matter what happens.

"Any day now Lukester," Marshall said impatiently.

Lucas took a big sigh. "I'm in." "_I never thought that could hurt_," he uttered to himself.

"Okay then if there aren't anymore suggestions, comments, or complaints then…" Marshall quickly glanced over at Lucas, expecting him to object. "…Meeting adjourned!" Marshall said as he got out of his seat and took Corrine's hand to help her up.

"Well guys I guess we've accomplished something good today…we finally came into agreement about something." Vaughn said as he got out of his seat.

"Yeah and it only took us the whole lunch period to do it" Josie replied as she stood next to Marshall.

"So I guess we'll see each other when classes are done right?" Corrine asked.

"Come on lets go to class before we're late." Josie said as she began to walk towards the school. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. She noticed that Lucas was not walking with them.

"Coming Lucas?" She called out to him from three feet away.

Lucas snapped out of his sullen mood and perked up at the sound of her voice. "Yeah I'll be there in a minute. You guys go on without me."

"Okay then…see ya later…" She said as she turned around and began walking beside Vaughn.

As he watched his friends walk away, Lucas couldn't help but feel disappointed, worried and pissed off all at the same time. _How could they not take my theories into consideration? They were legit and rational. I just don't understand them sometimes. I just hope that nothing happens. If it does, I don't know if we'll be ready for it… that's for damn sure._ Lucas grabbed his bag from under the table and began to walk towards the school. A feeling of uncertainty and utter confusion crept up inside him. If he only knew that those feelings would serve as a warning to what was to come in the next few hours.


	7. Time Stands Still for No One

**Hello Sweetie pies! I'm back with another chapter! Sorry this took so long. Yeah I know I said chapter 7 would come up right after chapter 6 but I got caught up with life. Don't worry hopefully it won't happen anymore! I hope you guys like this chapter. Note: There is a flashback towards the end of this chapter so don't get it confused with the dialogue between two people! Okay enjoy!**

* * *

Marshall, Corrine, Vaughn, and Josie stepped back inside Blake Holsey. The hallways were crowded and buzzing with students either walking to class or just fooling around. There was a feeling of perplexity and in some strange way solace, in the atmosphere that only the science club was sensitive to. The school appeared different, yet somehow familiar in some way. Kubiak was strolling down the hall tossing a football in his hands. He noticed Vaughn talking to Josie at the far end of the hall and perked up.

"Go long Pearson!" he yelled as he raised his arm to throw the ball. Vaughn turned his attention away from Josie and realized what Kubiak was doing. Before he could yell to tell him not to throw the ball, Principal Durst stepped out of her office and began walking towards Kubiak's direction, oblivious to the flying ball. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the ball left his hand. Without warning, the ball came flying down and socked Durst square in the face. Everyone in the hallway stood in complete shock and silence as the impact of the ball made a loud smacking sound and caused her to lose her balance and almost fall back onto the floor.

"Holy crap!" Kubiak cried out loudly as he froze in horror over the scene.

Durst immediately covered her face with her hands and bent over, trying to null the pain and embarrassment of the incident. After a few moments, she stood upright and removed her hands from her face. She picked up the football and glared straight at Kubiak, for she knew only he would do something stupid like this. Her face was beet red and she stomped over to Kubiak, who was now scared out of his wits.

"I am sooo sorry Ms. Durst. I didn't see you there! I didn't mean to wrinkle your face even more than it is…!" Kubiak bellowed.

Ms. Durst continued to stare angrily at him without blinking or saying a word. A faint burst of giggling could be heard in the background after Kubiak's absurd remark about Durst's wrinkles.

"Mr. Kubiak do you know that throwing a football inside the building is a direct violation of the school rules?" she said sternly, trying to hold back her anger.

Kubiak lowered his head. "Yes".

"And…do you know why it's a violation? It's because someone may get hurt…like me!" she yelled as she threw the ball on the floor. "You are in a whole lot of trouble mister! In my office NOW!" She stormed off and headed back in the direction of her office.

Kubiak lowered his head and followed suit behind her, trying not to make any eye contact with the audience in the hallway. The students couldn't help but gawk at Durst and Kubiak as they stepped inside her office and flinched as the door slammed shut. A few soft murmurs broke the tense silence as the students continued on with their day. Meanwhile Vaughn, Marshall, Corrine and Josie continued to stand frozen in shock.

"What the hell just happened?" Marshall asked, turning to his friends.

"I'm still in utter shock." Corrine said softly with her mouth wide open.

"He meant to throw the ball at me…"Vaughn mumbled. "I tried to stop him…"

"It's not your fault Vaughn." Josie said reassuringly, rubbing his taut arm. "I just hope he doesn't get expelled."

Marshall let out a slight chuckle. "Did you see how red Durst's face turned?" I've never seen her so pissed off before. It's kind of funny in some way. As the saying goes, hell has no fury for a woman scorned." Everyone stopped for a minute and glanced at Marshall.

"Marshall what the heck are you talking about?" Vaughn asked confused as he tried to hold back his laughter. Everyone turned and looked at each other. Josie's face began to form a huge smile and soon they all burst out into laughter.

"Seriously guys this is not funny…" Josie said as she tried to stop laughing. "He could really be in some serious trouble."

"I guess we'll see later…" Marshall chimed in, also trying to stop laughing.

"Okay I'm going to class now…" Corrine said as she turned to Marshall and gave him a long, passionate kiss. Marshall placed his arms around her waist and drew her in closer, savoring the taste and softness of her lips. When they finally parted, Corrine placed two more pecks on his lips and gently brushed his bottom lip with her thumb.

"See you later?" She asked as she took two steps backwards.

"Sure yeah…until then…" Marshall replied in a daze.

Josie grabbed Corrine's arm and waved good-bye to the guys as they strolled down the hall. Marshall's face beamed with delight as he and Vaughn watched Corrine and Josie walk away. Marshall couldn't help but notice Corrine's sexy curves as he became hypnotized from staring at her backside.

"She has the most amazing legs that I have ever seen…" Marshall drooled. " I love the way her skirt fits snugly right over her…"

"Okay Marshall I think that's enough…" Vaughn interrupted as he waved his hand in front of Marshall's face. "Down boy! Control your hormones! Stay focused for just one minute."

"I am…I'm focused on that beautiful babe down there…" Marshall replied in a daze as he continued to eye Corrine as she disappeared into the classroom. " I am sooo lucky!"

"Okay I can see you need some time to yourself. I think I'm gonna go now" Vaughn said as he took a few steps backwards. Marshall immediately snapped out of his daydream and grabbed Vaughn's arm.

"Hey Vaughn can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure what's up?"

"I was just wondering…what was wrong with you this morning?"

Vaughn widened his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"This morning when I saw you in the hall, why didn't you stop to talk to me? You seemed like something was wrong with you…as if you had seen a ghost or something."

Vaughn was taken aback for a second. Uneasiness and fear crept up inside him. He hesitated before answering Marshall.

"Oh uh nothing…I guess I was still a little freaked out from the movie last night…that's all."

A smirk started to form on Marshall's face as he began to laugh.

"You mean to tell me that Mr. Football Star is _afraid_ of some retarded zombie movie! You're bustin' my balls Vaughn. Come on, tell me what was _really_ your problem."

Vaughn reluctantly forced a smile on his face. He wasn't sure if he should tell Marshall about the figure in his room. Better yet, he was beginning to question whether or not he had seen anything unusual. He quickly changed the subject.

"I have a question but whatever we talk about is between me and you got it?" Vaughn asked with a serious frown on his face.

"Sure, shoot" Marshall replied eagerly.

"How did you tell Corrine about your feelings for her? I mean what did you say to win her over?"

Marshall frowned his face and eyed Vaughn with suspicion. "Are you trying to find a way to push up on my girl?" He said jokingly.

"NO! Why would you think that!" Vaughn exclaimed as he widened his eyes. "Besides, she's not my type anyway."

"And what _exactly_ do you mean? What type is she huh?" Marshall asked, feeling a little insulted.

"Well you know…the smart, I'm perfect type." Vaughn said carefully, taking one step back.

"And what's wrong with that! I don't think she thinks she's perfect! And even if she did she's my perfect girl! She's everything I ever wanted in a woman…" Marshall said as his heart began to flutter at the very thought of Corrine.

Vaughn stared at Marshall curiously, and noticed that his friend was obviously crazy in love with Corrine. "Whoa Marsh stay focused…I didn't have any intention on insulting Corrine in anyway. And personally I think the smart, perfect type is too good for me. So I wasn't putting her down in anyway."

Marshall chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "I know I was just kidding with you but seriously, why are you asking about Corrine and I?"

For some odd reason, Vaughn couldn't come out of his mouth and say that he wanted to know how to win Josie. But he decided to play guessing games with Marshall instead.

"Well…see I've been liking this girl for quite some time now and I'm not really sure how she feels about me. I was wondering if I should tell her my feelings first or just keep dropping her hints that I'm interested in her?"

Marshall tried to play dumb as if he didn't know what girl Vaughn was talking about.

A huge grin spread across Marshall's face. "So you mean you want advice on how to tell this particular girl how you feel?"

"Uh yeah if you have _good_ advice to give to me." Vaughn replied sarcastically.

"Okay buddy I'll help you. So tell me…does this particular girl have red hair, about yay high, and has a tendency to kick people's butts?"

Vaughn blushed a little as a grin spread across his face. "No duh Marshall however did you know? Of course it's Josie!" He exclaimed as he began to laugh.

"Vaughn don't you know that _everyone_ can tell that you and Josie like each other? That's why I don't understand why you just didn't come out and ask me how to win her." Marshall retorted as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, I didn't want anyone in the hall to overhear us that's why. So are you gonna tell me or not?" Vaughn said impatiently throwing his hands up.

"Well buddy if you must know…" Marshall said candidly. "I mustered up the courage and asked Corrine to take a walk with me outside one day. I was nervous at first but then I just blurted out everything at once. I told her how I felt about her and she told me how she felt about me. Now it's happily ever after yada yada yada." His face began to beam at the very thought of Corrine.

Vaughn began to contemplate on how he was going to tell Josie about his feelings. He found Marshall's rendition of how he and Corrine became one very encouraging.

"So would you suggest that I set the mood to tell her how I feel or what?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah you could do that but don't make the mood overly romantic. Don't have candles or soft music playing…that's pushin' it." Marshall replied.

"Do you think I should start carrying her books and walking her to class or something?" Vaughn asked eagerly.

"I don't know…she seems to be an independent feisty chick…she might beat you up". Marshall chuckled.

"Seriously Marshall… what should I _do_? I'm starting to like her even more…and I'll do _anything_ to make her happy…"Vaughn said desperately.

Marshall noticed for the first time that Vaughn had a vulnerable, softer side. He could notice his desperation and yearning for Josie's heart. He placed his hand on Vaughn's shoulder reassuringly.

"If you really want to make her happy just continue to be yourself and always be there for her. You have to make her realize how much you adore and want to be with her." Marshall insisted.

Vaughn thought for a moment as he took heed to Marshall's advice and nodded his head in agreement.

Vaughn began to smile. "You know…you're right. I've been there for her and showed her that I care for her. We've gotten closer ever since she came back.

"So what are you gonna do…are you gonna tell her today or sometime in your lifetime or what?" Marshall chuckled.

"No matter what I'm telling her _today_." Vaughn said bravely.

"That's the spirit!" Marshall exclaimed.

"Thanks Marsh, you really helped me out there. You know your advice was really good. I'm glad I came to you." Vaughn said as he placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm glad you came to me too." Marshall said patting him on the back.

"Oh and another thing…" Vaughn began. "You really need to lay off of those teen girl magazines or something. You were starting to sound like a chick!" Vaughn chuckled.

"Ha ha very funny stud boy." Marshall said sarcastically.

"Alright I gotta go see ya later!" Vaughn said as he slowly jogged down the hall to his next class.

* * *

Marshall stood alone in the hallway and laughed to himself. "Aaaahhh what would they do without me?" He sighed under his breath. As he began to walk to the study hall, he noticed something awkward out of the corner of his eyes. The basement door that led to the janitors' lair was suspiciously halfway open. He glanced around to make sure no one noticed him as he crept over to the door. He carefully peered inside; making sure the door would not creak as he gently pushed the door open with his fingers. The basement was unusually pitch black. Normally there would be a glimpse of light down there but for some reason, no light could come in or escape. Marshall noticed this oddity and left the door cracked, which would allow him to see the stairs in front of him. He began his descent down the stairs one step at a time. When he approached the third step, he noticed a faint, glowing light coming from the wall.

"What the hell is that?" He whispered to himself as he took one more step. "Could that be what I think it is? No it can't be! How the hell is there light down here when there is no place for it to come in or escape? It's not coming from the light outside of the door. And why the hell are these windows sealed with cement?"

As he started to take a fifth step to investigate, a hand fell heavy onto his shoulder. He flinched for a quick second but refused to turn around. He could feel the hand gripping his shoulder tightly, as if the person was about to drag him up the steps. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning around.

"Looking for something?" the voice said and Marshall knew exactly who it was. He quickly spun around and realized that it was the janitor. Marshall swallowed a big gulp as he blankly stared into the janitor's vacant ice blue eyes. Speechless, he then turned and looked down the stairs and across the room and noticed that the light had vanished. He turned to the janitor again and quickly raced up the stairs towards door. Before he could make it out of the door, the janitor quickly grabbed his arm.

"You know you shouldn't go searching for things that do not need to be found. So watch it! If you seek, you shall find! So as they always say_, in this sleep of death what dreams may come_," the janitor said eerily as he widened his eyes. Marshall became engulfed in horror and confusion as he snatched his arm away from the janitor and speed walked down the hall, daring not to turn back to look behind him.

"What was all that! What did he mean by what he said? This is starting to freak me out!" Marshall panted as he closed the door to the study hall.

* * *

******Knock Knock**

"Hello? Professor Z? Are you in here?" Lucas yelled as he turned the doorknob to Professor Z's office. Professor Z was in the back of his office rummaging through his bookshelf. Lucas closed the door and walked inside and stared at Z.

Professor Z turned around and smiled. "Oh hey Lucas! I didn't hear you come in. Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Uhh…yeah, but I got excused because I'm not feeling well" Lucas stuttered nervously, trying not to make eye contact with Z.

"If you're not feeling well then why aren't you in your room resting?" Z asked looking concerned.

Lucas glanced around the room nervously. "Oh uhh…"he stuttered.

"Is everything okay? Come sit down." Z laid his book down on the counter and took a seat at his desk.

Lucas pulled up a chair and placed it in front of Z's desk and sat down quietly. He held his head down guiltily as Z examined his body language questioningly.

"So did you want to talk to me about something?" Z inquired, breaking the lengthy silence.

Lucas slowly lifted his head and made eye contact with Z. "Yeah, but first I have to confess something."

"Okay" Z said anxiously.

"I'm not really sick at all. I just said that to get out of class."

Professor Z's face changed from worry to disdain at Lucas' actions.

"Lucas do you realize that class attendance is highly important? Even more importance since it's almost the end of the school year." Z said sternly.

Lucas looked away from Z's condemning stare before he returned an answer.

"Yeah I know but I have something that's really bothering me and I really need to talk to you."

Professor Z noticed that Lucas was burdened with something.

"Okay I'll excuse your actions this time but next time try to wait after or before class to meet with me okay? So tell me what's wrong."

Lucas sighed before he spoke. "Its about the others…I don't think they take value to my ideas or have respect for my feelings."

Z widened his eyes. "Why would you say that?"

"We were having a conversation at lunch and I made a few suggestions and they totally disregarded me. It pisses me off a lot and now I am questioning our friendship."

Z continued to look at Lucas with worry. "What were you trying to suggest to them that would cause them to ignore you? If you don't mind me asking."

Lucas hesitated before he spoke. He remembered the deal everyone made with each other about the situation with the janitor:

"_So…we are all in agreement that we're going to watch the janitor and if we see something disturbing and urgent we will tell Z together?"_

Corrine's words echoed in his head as he quickly thought up a topic he and his friends didn't have.

"Oh uhhh we were talking about a trip we want to take senior year." He finally blurted out and shifted in his chair uncomfortably.

Professor Z raised an eyebrow and stared at Lucas in confusion. "And I'm guessing you suggested something different and they didn't agree with you?"

"Right…I just feel that they think my ideas are "_retarded and far fetched_" as Vaughn and Marshall would say…but it's good to have a different perspective about things right? I mean it's not hurting anyone and…"

"Well, yes but you also have to realize that when you plan something with other people they may want you to agree to things they want and your idea might not sound favorable at the moment but I'm sure they appreciate and respect you."

Lucas sighed. "Sometimes I don't think they see eye to eye with me."

"Maybe you should talk to them and let them know how you feel." Z replied reassuringly.

"Yeah I guess you're right…I'll talk to them" Lucas said somberly as he stood up to leave. "Thanks for everything Z."

"Are you sure it was something else you guys were talking about besides a trip?" He asked as Lucas walked towards the door.

Lucas turned around slowly and looked past Z's stare. "Uhh…no, nothing else…just the stupid trip that's all…he said with a slight chuckle as he turned the knob and opened the knob and opened the door.

"Okay Lucas see you later. Take it easy." Z replied as he gave Lucas a slight wave and began reading a book on his desk.

Lucas turned around and watched Professor Z pick up his book to read. He began to regret lying to him about everything and wished that he told him about what was going on. But he remembered that it was at first his idea not to say anything about the janitor. "If only he knew" Lucas thought as he walked out of the room.

During the whole time he was in the study hall, Marshall couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the basement. "I don't understand it…where did the light come from? Is it some type of vortex or something? It can't be…there's no palladium in the floor or walls in the basement. And what the hell did he mean by quoting from Shakespeare? Josie and Lucas were right…he **is** up to something! But what?" On that note, Marshall realized that they now have a reason to tell Professor Z. He glanced at his watch and noticed that it was ten minutes until the bell rang and class would be over for the day. "Wait till the guys hear about this" he muttered to himself as he began reading his book. Little did he know that time was something that was against him and the science club. But they will soon discover that there is something much more sinister that is rising up against two members of the science club.

**So how did you like it? Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Please do more reviewing or I won't post more! I already have this fic written. I will greatly appreciate reviews! Chapter 8 is coming up soon! I hope you're having fun with this fic! HAPPY SUMMER!**


	8. What's In the Dark Shall Come To Light

The sound of the bell signified the end of a long day of classes. The desolate hallways were beginning to fill with eager students rushing out of their respective classes. As he tried to squeeze his way down the hallway, Vaughn noticed Kubiak emerging from principal Durst's office. He quickly maneuvered his way past the herd of students to talk to Kubiak, who had a disappointed frown on his face.

"Hey Stu is everything alright?" He asked the despondent jock curiously.

Stu lifted his head slowly to glance at Vaughn before answering. "Yeah and no."

Vaughn cocked his brow at his vague retort. "What do you mean? Did she expel you?"

"Well I'm not expelled but I might as well be." He mumbled.

"What did Durst say to you"?

"She said that I have three weeks of detention. I also have to clean the school grounds, _and_ I can't participate in any sports activities." Stu retorted angrily.

Vaughn frowned. "Ouch that sucks. Just look on the bright side. She didn't expel you and she wasn't too hard on you. Besides, it could have been much worse."

"Yeah I know…I'll catch you later Pierson. I have to tell coach that I can't play for three weeks. He's gonna be pissed."

"You're right about that. Okay see ya later." Vaughn said as he walked away from Stu to make his way upstairs to his room.

As he made his way down the upstairs hallway, he noticed Madison standing by her room. He kept his eyes focused straight ahead and continued walking down the hallway.

"Hey Vaughn." Madison uttered as she attempted to strike a sexy pose at her doorway.

Vaughn immediately sped up his pace in order to keep her from walking up behind him. Infuriated, Madison stared him down with disgust. _"How dare he completely ignore me?"_ She huffed as she slammed her door shut and stomped off downstairs.

"Phew that was close." He whispered as he stepped inside his room and closed the door. He threw his books on the desk and plopped down onto the bed and laid back with his hands crossed behind his head.

"I'm so glad classes are over…" He said sleepily. Thoughts about his impending study date with Josie in a few hours danced through his mind. A warm feeling of anxiousness slowly overwhelmed his body when he realized that he was going to be _alone _with her, not to mention, he had to finally tell her about his feelings for her. "_What am I going to say?" _He thought as he began to drift off to sleep with the still image of Josie's smiling face embedded in his head.

* * *

Josie and Corrine finally emerged from their class laughing and talking with each other as they leisurely walked down the hallway.

"So…ready for your study date with _Vaughn_ tonight?" Corrine teased as a grin spread across her face.

Josie rolled her eyes. "Yeah…so?"

"So do you know what you have to tell him? That you want him and you love him and you want to hug him and kiss him and have his baby and…"

"CORRINE!" Josie shouted. "Shut up!" Josie's face blushed red with embarrassment.

Corrine's hysterical laughter caused tears to well up in her eyes. "Okay…okay I'm finished now Josie. I'm sorry. I'm being serious now. You know what to say, right?"

Josie frowned and bit her bottom lip as she thought for a moment. "Well I…I guess so, but I hope that I can get everything out at once and not sound like a total idiot."

Corrine pouted her lips with sympathy as she patted Josie on the back. "Aww don't worry, you won't sound like an idiot. Trust me. The only way you would be an idiot is if you don't tell him."

"Whatever." Josie retorted as she rolled her eyes at Corrine.

"Come on, let's go over the game plan for tonight." Corrine suggested as she locked arms with Josie and strolled towards the staircase. As they approached the stairs, they noticed Lucas coming towards them in the opposite direction.

"Hey Lucas!" Josie yelled as she motioned for him to come over. He slowly walked over to where they were standing. Josie immediately noticed that he had a solemn expression etched across his face as if he didn't want to be bothered or even talk to them.

"Hey." He grumbled as he tried not to make eye contact with them.

"What's wrong Lucas?" Corrine asked worriedly.

"Nothing…I'm fine…just tired that's all." He mumbled.

"Hey did you know that Kubiak hit Durst in the face with a football?" Josie asked in an attempt to start up a cheerful conversation and make the conspiracy theorist smile.

Lucas forced a smile on his face. "Yeah I was walking inside the school when it happened. Pretty funny ay?"

"Yeah we all tried to hold in our laughter." Corrine giggled.

"So does anyone know what happened to Stu?" Lucas asked.

"No we didn't hear anything yet." Josie replied.

Lucas nodded. "Okay well, I guess I'll go up to my room now. See you guys later." He said as he slowly walked up the stairs.

"That was awkward wasn't it?" A stunned Josie asked as she turned to Corrine.

"Yeah…what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know but I'm sure we'll find out later. Come on lets go." Josie said as they started their ascension upstairs.

Before they could make it to the second landing, Marshall ran frantically down the hallway towards the staircase.

"Corrine! Josie!" He yelled as he raced upstairs to catch up with them.

"Marshall what's wrong?" Corrine asked alarmed as she gently caressed his face.

"Come in my room. I need to tell you guys something really important. Someone go and get Vaughn and hurry!" He panted as he power walked to his room.

Josie and Corrine stood puzzled at the top of the steps for a moment.

"Here…give me your bag and I'll put our stuff in our room. Go and get Vaughn." Corrine suggested as she grabbed Josie's bag and scurried down the hall to their room.

Josie quickly walked down the hall towards Vaughn's room. She knocked softly on the door and turned the knob and noticed the door was unlocked.

"Vaughn? Are you in here?" She called softly as she entered the room.

As she stood in the doorway, she noticed Vaughn sound asleep in his bed. She quietly closed the door behind her and tiptoed over to the bed. Vaughn was lying face up, with one hand behind his head while the other one laid across his stomach. In her eyes, he appeared to be much cuter as he slept. She watched him intently as his chest raised up and down while a small smile began to form across his face.

"I wonder what he's dreaming about." Josie whispered to herself as she stepped closer to the bed to sit down next to him. She couldn't help but to stare at him. She desperately wanted to lean over and kiss his lips. She gently placed her hand on top of his chest and felt his heart beating softly. She then entwined her fingers with his hand that was lying on his stomach. Vaughn shuffled around a little, but did not wake up. She waited a few seconds and gently brushed her finger across his lips.

"Why am I teasing myself?" She thought as she carefully freed her hand from his. "I guess I better wake him up, but he's so cute!"

She leaned over and softly whispered into his ear. "Vaughn wake up we gotta go. Vaughn!" She gently shook him by his shoulders.

Vaughn opened his eyes and noticed Josie hovering over him. As his tired eyes glanced around the room, he took notice of something peculiar standing by the bedroom door. It resembled the figure he had seen in his room earlier that day. He rubbed his eyes to focus them and continued to stare at the strange object. Josie realized the troubled frown on his face and wondered why he was looking right past her. She quickly turned around to see what caught his attention.

"Vaughn what's wrong? What are you looking at?"

At those words, the figure suddenly disappeared. Vaughn snapped out of his daze to make eye contact with his worried friend and smiled reassuringly.

"Oh…nothing. I just thought that I saw something by the door. What's going on?" Vaughn answered as he began to sit up.

"Marshall wants us to go in his room. I think he has to tell us something really important." She said as she slightly scooted herself closer to him.

"Did he say what it's about?" Vaughn asked.

Josie shrugged her shoulders. "No, but he was frantic about something. He almost ran over me and Corrine in the hallway."

"Well then I guess we'd better go then." Vaughn suggested as he swung his legs around so that he could sit on the edge of the bed.

They were now sitting closer to each other than they ever had before. Vaughn faced Josie as she slowly turned her head towards him. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments. Vaughn placed his hand under her chin to kiss her lips when a loud knock came from the door. They both paused and were flustered that their tender moment was ruined.

"Josie, Vaughn are you in there?" A voiced called out.

Josie rolled her eyes. "Oh it's Corrine, we'd better go." She said as she got up to open the door.

"Josie, Marshall told me to come get you guys. He said that you were taking too long. He's totally freaked out." Corrine said worriedly.

"Come on let's go." Josie said as she grabbed Corrine's arm and headed down the hall to Marshall's room. Vaughn rushed out the door after them.

Josie, Vaughn, and Corrine rushed into the room, taking notice of Marshall pacing back and forth around the room. Lucas sat on his bed with a bewildered expression on his face. Marshall finally stopped pacing and faced his friends.

"Guys what the hell took you so long? What were you two doing, making out or something?"

He asked, eyeing Josie and Vaughn with suspicion. Josie and Vaughn stood in shock and embarrassment. They both dared not to say anything, but glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes.

"I have something really shocking to tell you." Marshall began as he walked over to the door and closed it.

"What's wrong Marsh? Is everything okay?" Vaughn asked concernedly as he sat down on Lucas' bed.

"Something very bizarre just happened to me right after we split up to go to class."

Everyone held their breaths for a quick second as they stared at Marshall in confusion.

"Marshall, bizarre things are always happening here…haven't you noticed?" Lucas mentioned with sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Marshall rolled his eyes. "No I know that smart ass…I'm talking about something much more serious. You and Josie were right about the janitor…he **is **up to something.

"What happened between you and the janitor? Did he chase you or something?" Josie asked as she widened her eyes.

"No he didn't chase me…and yes I did have a run-in with him. He scared the crap out of me." Marshall replied with a scowl.

"So what happened?" Lucas asked impatiently.

Marshall took in a deep breath as he anxiously began to tell them about his frightening ordeal. Everyone sat on the edge of their seats as they listened attentively to him. Fear and anxiety began to creep up inside of them as he described every detail of the encounter.

"…And then when I tried to walk away he grabbed me and tried to quote something from Shakespeare. He also told me not to go searching for things that don't need to be found."

"He is really starting to get on my nerves by his cryptic talk." Corrine retorted angrily, rolling her eyes.

"What does he mean by death and dreams coming true?" Vaughn asked baffled.

"I don't know ask Shakespeare" Marshall retorted jokingly.

"Wait a minute…" Josie interrupted. "He probably didn't want you finding something out of the ordinary. That's what he said to Lucas and me when we were in class."

"And my guess is that he's definitely hiding something in the basement now…but it's not hidden anymore because you've discovered it." Lucas surmised.

"You know what this means right?' Josie declared as she stood up. "We have to go in the basement and see where that light is coming from. We have to see if we can catch him in the act."

Everyone was silent for a few moments as they looked at each other uneasily.

"Josie's right, we have to see what he's up to. We have to stop him before it's too late." Lucas said abruptly.

Everyone was taken aback by Lucas' sudden change of heart. Normally he would stand in opposition to whatever plan they devised. But for some reason, Lucas decided not to be a pain at this moment.

Josie became very excited and smiled at Lucas. "Thanks Lucas, I'm glad you agree with me for once. Okay…anyone else?"

"I'm down…" Vaughn blurted out first.

"Me too…Corrine and Marshall chimed in together.

"But only if we tell Z about what's been happening." Marshall suggested.

"So how are we going to do this without getting caught?" Vaughn asked.

Silence fell throughout the room as they all began to devise a good plan.

"Might I suggest something? Lucas asked cautiously.

"Sure Lucas…go right ahead." Josie said with a proud smile.

"Okay here's what we should do. We should all go downstairs together, but two at a time…play it off as though we're just waiting around for dinner to start." He said as he stood up with confidence.

Marshall frowned and threw his hands up. "And then what? Lucas that doesn't sound too much like a plan to me."

"Just hear him out Marshall." Corrine interrupted.

"Thanks Corrine. Now as I was saying…" Lucas began as he walked to the front of the room.

"First, Marshall and Corrine, you guys walk downstairs and check out the area. Make sure there is no one in the hallway. Then Josie and Vaughn will go down after three minutes and make sure the janitor isn't around. Keep an eye on that basement door. We should do it this way so that no one will be suspicious about anything we are doing.

"So what will you be doing?" Marshall asked curiously.

"I will go downstairs after a few minutes and walk over to the basement door first. Then you guys have to make sure no one sees me over there."

"Sounds like a plan, lets do it!" Josie said excitedly.

"Okay, Corrine, Marshall you guys go down now. When I see that you are completely away from the staircase, that's when I'll start the three minute timer for Josie and Vaughn." Lucas said.

Corrine and Marshall got up, clenching each other's hand as they walked out of the room. Corrine's eyes widened as nervousness crept up inside her. Marshall glanced over at her and noticed that she was scared. He quickly wrapped his arm around her for comfort as they took their first step downstairs. Lucas walked to the end of the hallway and saw them walk away from the staircase. At that very moment, he started the three-minute timer and ran back to his room, where Josie and Vaughn were patiently waiting. They all sat in an awkward silence as they waited for three minutes to pass.

"Okay guys you can go down now" Lucas said. Josie sprung up from her seat and walked fast out of the door.

"Josie wait for me" Vaughn said as he ran after her.

Lucas waited patiently alone in his room for the next three minutes. "I hope we're doing the right thing…" he thought. "I'm glad they're finally listening to me and going along with my plan." Lucas walked out of his room after three minutes and made his way over to the staircase. He looked down and noticed Corrine and Marshall talking, while Josie and Vaughn scouted the empty hallway for signs of the janitor. He quietly crept downstairs and walked over to the basement door.

"Are you guys sure no one's around?" Lucas whispered.

"No there's no one around. Everyone is either in the rec room or outside." Vaughn whispered back to him.

Lucas turned to the basement door and pressed his ear against it. He could not hear any sounds coming from downstairs. He placed his hand on the knob and began to turn it. He pushed the door but it did not move. He tried two more times but the door was obviously locked.

"Psst hey guys come here!" Lucas whispered as he motioned for his friends to come over.

"What's wrong?" Marshall asked with worrisome eyes.

"The door is locked. I can't open it."

"Let me try." Vaughn said as he made his way over to the door. He turned the knob and pushed on the door. It still would not move. He began to violently twist the knob and push harder on the door.

"Careful Vaughn we don't want him knowing we're here." Corrine warned.

"It's no use guys, the door is locked. It won't budge at all." Vaughn said as he faced his friends.

"Dammit now we won't ever catch him in the act!" Josie said angrily.

"Guys come on we have to go find Z right now!" Marshall said as they quickly walked over to the proffesor's office.

"Professor Z are you in there?" Marshall asked as he simultaneously knocked on the door and turned the knob.

Z was sitting at his desk reading the newspaper when he noticed his students barging into the room.

"Hey guys what's wrong?" He asked as he stood up worriedly.

"Z you gotta help us" Josie blurted out frantically.

"Sure what's wrong tell me."

"It's about the janitor…we think he's up to something." Corrine blurted out.

"Okay guys have a seat and tell me everything one at a time." Z said as he pulled up two chairs to his desk.

Corrine and Vaughn sat down in the two chairs, while Josie sat on the arm of Vaughn's chair and Marshall and Lucas stood.

"Okay now tell me why you think the janitor is up to something." Z said as he sat down in his chair.

Lucas spoke up first. "It all started with Josie and I this morning…" He continued to tell Z the encounter he and Josie had with the janitor that day.

"Well that doesn't seem like he's up to anything suspicious. Maybe he didn't like being watched." Z replied.

"But that's not all Z…" Josie interrupted. "He said something weird like he hoped we didn't see anything out of the ordinary."

"It doesn't stop there either…" Lucas began as he told Z about how the janitor stared him down in the hallway.

"…Z that's why we think he's up to something." Lucas claimed.

Professor Z sighed as he stood up. "It seems to me that you guys are just assuming that he's hiding something. Just because someone stares at you and says weird things does not mean he is of any threat to you…"

"Z that's not all…" Marshall interrupted. "I have evidence that he's concealing something." Marshall began to tell his story about his ordeal and the surprising discovery he made in the basement.

Z widened his eyes as he got up from his seat and walked towards Marshall. "Are you sure it was a light and not a t.v.? Did the light appear to be a magnetic field or something?"

"I couldn't really tell because it was too far away to see the exact details…but I saw a few colors like blue and purple." Marshall replied.

"I'm sure it's not a vortex. The only vortex is in here. There's no palladium subunits in the basement…is it?" Z mumbled as he paced back and forth around the room.

"Well maybe it's not a vortex…maybe it's an electrical discharge from somewhere." Vaughn assumed.

"That could be true…" Z began. "But how? Why would it only be in the basement?"

"I don't know but whatever it is, it has the janitor acting weird." Corrine chimed in.

"Okay this is what I want from all of you…" Professor Z began. I **do not** want any of you near him…do not go off spying on him or even allow him to notice that you guys suspect him of something. Am I making myself clear?"

"But how will we know what he's doing? We can't pretend that everything is all hunky-dory and…"

"You didn't let me finish Josie…" Z interrupted. "I will spy on him and take notes. I know a much clever way of doing it…"

Smiles spread across everyone's faces at the relief of Z believing them and having him on their side.

"I am very proud of you all for coming to me first instead of going off investigating alone." The professor said as he smiled at everyone, eyeing Josie in particular.

"Thanks Z we promise that we won't do anything alone, but if we see him around, we'll observe him from a distance." Lucas said.

"You know, come to think of it…I have seen something awkward lately, but it wasn't the janitor" Z began. Silence fell throughout the whole room as they all listened to him closely.

"About a week and a half ago, when I returned from bike riding I noticed Madison sneaking around the back of the school. It seemed like she was searching for something…"

"I knew that skank was good for nothing…"Josie interrupted, causing everyone, except for Z, to snicker from her comment.

"As I was saying…"Z continued. "I saw her run a few feet into the woods. It seemed as though she was talking to someone…I couldn't see who it was so I decided to go inside and investigate later."

"Maybe it was a secret boyfriend or something she was talking to." Lucas added.

"Maybe so, but if it was, he wouldn't hide in the woods" Z replied.

"Has she done anything else lately?" Josie asked.

"No, not that I've seen, but I am keeping a very close watch on her." Z replied.

"Josie please do not approach Madison or let her know that she's under suspicion." Z pleaded.

Josie rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"Tell you what…I'm going to keep you all updated with whatever findings I have on Madison and the janitor…" Z began. "I will do this on one condition…you guys must not in any way tell anyone else or confront any of our suspects got it?"

"Sounds like a plan Z, but we **will **continue to keep an eye on them from a distance. They will never know." Lucas said.

"Alright Z we'll be going now. Come on guys." Corrine said as they all, except Marshall, walked out the door.

"Hey Z, thanks, we knew we could count on you." Marshall said with a warm smile. Z walked over to him and gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

"No problem."

"See you later." Marshall said as he walked out of the door. Professor Z stood in the doorway, watching the science club walk down the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye, something caught his attention at the far end of the hallway. It was Corrine and Marshall…making out in the corner.

"Ahem excuse me!" Z said loudly. Stunned, Corrine and Marshall broke away from their kiss, quickly taking notice of the disapproving frown etched across their professor's face. They walked away in opposite directions smiling, only to reunite a few minutes later when Z stepped back into his room.

"Teenagers these days." He sighed as he gathered his bike equipment for his afternoon ride.

After Z put on his biking clothes, he grabbed his bike from the back of the office and walked out of the door. When he reached the front entrance of the school, he realized that he forgot his keys. He placed his bike off to the side and began walking back to his office. He suddenly noticed Madison creeping out of the science lab then walking over to the basement door. Z quickly hid so that she wouldn't notice him. He could hear her cursing to herself as she tried to open the door. After a few minutes she gave up and retreated upstairs to her room. When the cheerleader was finally out of sight, Z quietly walked over to his office and grabbed his keys.

"I wonder what she's up to now." He whispered to himself. "The kids will be surprised to hear about this."

He walked back to the front entrance, grabbed his bike, and walked outside. "As soon as I get back I'll definitely have to check out the science lab…I just hope she didn't steal anything."

He climbed onto his bike and rode off into the warm afternoon. It was only a matter of time before Professor Z would realize that his investigations on Madison and the janitor was only a mere distraction to allow someone or something to accomplish its evil plot against two of his beloved students.

**So there's chapter 8! I hope you guys liked it! Thank you all for continuing on this journey with me as we find out what's up with the janitor, the creepy figure, and now...Madison! Please rate and review! Chapter 9 is coming up soon! All things will will come to head in the next chapter! Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers. You guys rock!**


	9. Phantom of My Dreams Its You

**A/N I just had to repost this chapter because there were some grammatical errors and I had to change the ending a little. So read and enjoy! P.S. I need more reviews! Only 2 people have reviewed this chapter so far! I know you can do it! Thanks a bunch. Thank you xXbittersweetxtersxX and Tahra for your kind reviews!**

**4:47pm**

Dinnertime came and went rather quickly. The science club did not stay long in the cafeteria or bothered to eat the mess they called "food" on their plates. Their minds were too preoccupied with thoughts about what was going on and with their plans for the rest of the night. They all sat at the table in silence for the remainder of the time.

"Isn't anyone going to say anything?" Lucas asked as he glanced around the table at his friends.

"Lucas we can't say anything about what's going on in front of everybody." Corrine whispered.

"We don't have to talk about that, I mean why are we sitting here so quiet?" Lucas asked again.

"I don't know Lucas, maybe we're tired. Why don't you put on a hand puppet show for us? Maybe that will liven us all up a bit." Marshall said jokingly.

Lucas glared at Marshall and shook his head. "Well in that case…Alright guys I gotta go" Lucas said as he stood up from the table and threw out his food.

"Yeah I better go too", Josie said as she stood up.

"Josie wait for me," Corrine said as she quickly gave Marshall a kiss on the cheek and ran behind Josie.

Josie abruptly stopped and turned around and glanced at Vaughn. "Hey Vaughn we're still on for tonight right?"

"Yeah…but can we make it 6 instead of 6:30? Vaughn asked.

"Sure no problem, I'll see you then in your room." Josie smiled at him as she and Corrine walked out of the room. Vaughn returned the smile and watched Josie intently as she walked away.

"If you keep staring at her so hard your x-ray vision will burn right through her" Marshall said jokingly.

Vaughn looked over at Marshall and chuckled. "What are you talking about I wasn't staring at her _that_ way."

Marshall shook his head and laughed. "Yeah whatever Vaughn, I saw the way you were staring at her backside in a trance. So…you nervous?"

"No…why would I be?" Vaughn asked confused.

"Well because I noticed that you flinched when she was talking to you." Marshall said laughing.

"No I'm fine...just anxious and tired that's all." Vaughn said as his words trailed off.

"Okay buddy just makin' sure. I'm about to head upstairs and take a nap. Are you coming?" Marshall asked as he stood up.

"Where to take a nap with you? Hell no!" Vaughn said jokingly.

"No, no you damn weirdo, I mean are you leaving now?" Marshall said frowning.

Vaughn laughed and shook his head and stood up. "I know what you meant. Yeah I'm coming. I gotta clean up my room a bit."

"Yeah you do that and try to compose yourself…you're nervousness is starting to freak me out." Marshall said jokingly.

"Whatever let's go." Vaughn said as they both threw out their trays and walked upstairs.

"Good luck." Marshall said as he opened the door to his room.

"Thanks." Vaughn said as he continued to walk down the hall to his room.

* * *

"I can't believe we have to spy on yet _another_ person." Josie said in disbelief as she threw herself onto her bed.

"Yeah and I can't believe it's _Madison_, of all people." Corrine chimed in as she sat down on her bed. "It's weird though…" she began, "Why would she be sneaking around the school?"

"I don't know but what I do know is that she truly deserves an ass kicking and now I have a legitimate reason to do it." Josie smirked.

Corrine sucked her teeth and glanced over at Josie. "Josie you heard what Z said. **We, **including **you**, cannot confront either Madison or the janitor remember?"

"I know but I just want to stop whatever is happening. It pisses me off how some people have the balls to sneak around and do whatever the hell they want and then we can't do anything but wait and see what happens." Josie said rolling her eyes.

Corrine walked over and sat down on Josie's bed. "Josie, I completely understand how you feel. Yes it's frustrating that we can't tie 'em up in a chair and interrogate them. But we have to be smart about how we go about catching them in the act. We can't risk anyone getting hurt…or lost. Don't worry, if there is something that's about to unravel, we have Z to help us."

Josie glanced up at Corrine. "Yeah I know but …"

"But nothing…"Corrine interrupted. I'm gonna go study a little before I meet Marshall. Why don't you take a little nap, you really need to rest. Corrine got up from Josie's bed and sat at her desk.

"Okay _mom_." Josie laughed. She then rolled over on her side with her back now facing Corrine. As she closed her eyes she began to contemplate everything that was happening. She then started thinking about her dream from last night.

"Hey Corrine…?"

"Yeah Josie?"

"I'm still pretty bothered by the dream I had last night. I hope it doesn't have anything to do with any weirdness that's going on."

Corrine rolled her eyes and glanced over at Josie. "You're just stressed. Just go to sleep for like a half hour. I'll wake you up around 5:30 so that you can be ready for your study date with Vaughn."

Josie breathed in a big sigh and mumbled under her breath. "I guess you're right. Wake me up at 5:30."

"Okay." Corrine said as she threw a pillow at Josie. Now go to sleep! Dream bout kissing Vaughn."

Josie giggled as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

As everyone was resting and enjoying the remainder of the day, Professor Z was busy investigating the science lab. The first thing he had to check out was the gravity sensor. He walked over to the corner of the room and saw that it was still safe and sound.

"I'm glad she didn't steal that, or was clever enough to touch it…" Z said to himself.

He began to search the lab top to bottom; making sure everything was in its right place. When he walked to the back of the room, he noticed that a few things were out of place. There were papers strewn all on top of the back desk. He hurriedly walked over to the table to investigate.

"Why are all of these papers out here? I thought I put them away in the drawer" he said to himself. He searched through every paper and found that his studies on the black hole were missing. He then looked through his desk drawer and everywhere else in the lab, but could not find it.

"I could have sworn those papers were here…I hope she didn't take them…" He said worriedly.

As he continued to fix the papers and put them safely away, something caught his eye. Stuck in between the bookcase and the wall was a dusty worn out leather folder. He walked over to the bookcase and attempted to pull it out.. On his third pull, he managed to free the folder and opened it. He made a startling discovery. The documents inside were from Professor Middleton, who had disappeared more than 3 ½ years ago. Z continued to read through the documents and found old science class lesson plans and projects. There were also some papers on scientific phenomena. He then came across a packet of papers that had 'CONFIDENTIAL' stamped on them. Curious, Z opened the packet and found more startling information on Professor Middleton. There were many pages about the vortex in his office and other information about possible vortexes in other parts of the school. He then found a diagram of a laboratory. This was not Pearadyne, but another lab that Professor Middleton was designing for himself. There were also strange drawings of shadowy figures and distorted worlds that seemed too unrealistic to conceive. Alarmed at his findings, Z decided to take everything with him and read the rest in his bedroom.

"I gotta show the kids this!" He said as he walked out of the classroom and closed the door.

* * *

"Marshall what the hell is that smell?" Lucas asked, sniffing the air while frowning at Marshall.

"What the hell do you think it is? It's called _cologne_. You should try it sometimes." Marshall retorted snidely as he dressed himself.

"What did you do take a shower in it?" Lucas shot back, covering his nose with his hand.

Marshall turned away from the mirror to face Lucas, who was sitting on his bed. "For your information I have a date with my Lady Love."

"Well from the smell of it you're gonna burn Corrine's nose off with all of that crap you put on. You put on too much man!" Lucas retorted, fanning the air.

"Whatever Lucas, it just so happens that Corrine loves this cologne. It doesn't bother her at all."

Lucas rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sure it'll bother her tonight and she won't want to be around you." Lucas said under his breath.

Marshall turned around quickly and eyed Lucas. "What was that Randall? Don't be jealous because you don't have a love life or anyone you want…oh wait a minute…you could've had our beloved friend Josie but you let Vaughn snatch her up instead."

Lucas turned red in the face. He was truly lost for words. Marshall was right, he did let Josie get away, but he knew that it was better if they stayed friends instead of becoming lovers. "You know what Marshall piss off! I don't like Josie like that and I don't give a rat's ass if she and Vaughn hook up! So stop saying that. It irks me when people keep saying that shit!"

Marshall's jaw dropped opened in surprise at Lucas' slight confession/denial of his feelings for Josie. He took a few steps away from the mirror and turned to Lucas. "Lucas I'm sorry. You know I was joking. There's no need to get so irate about this. Is there something you want to talk about before I leave? I still have a few minutes."

Lucas felt embarrassed and foolish that he lashed out on Marshall in that way. He chuckled a little and glanced up at him. "You know what Marsh? I already did tell you."

Marshall stared at him confused. "Come again Lucas?"

Lucas got up from his bed and walked over to his desk. "No. I think I already said what I needed to get out just now. I'm just so sick of people saying I'm in love with Josie and I'm jealous of Vaughn and all of that crap. To tell you the truth, yes I _did_ like Josie and I always will, but I like her enough to see her with someone that'll make her happy…so I'm over **it** and I'm over **her**. There I said it. Happy now?"

Marshall smirked and patted Lucas on the back. "That's very noble of you buddy. I'm proud. I'm glad I got you angry to the point of expressing your emotions positively."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Well thank you Dr. Phil. Anytime I need to vent I'll make sure I tell you so that _I can feel all better_."

"Ha ha ha. Well anyway, my lady awaits. See you later. And don't wait up." Marshall said as he turned the doorknob and stepped out of the room.

"Have fun…don't stay out too late". Lucas said as he waved good-bye to his friend.

* * *

"Josie! Josie! Wake up! Corrine yelled softly as she shook Josie from her mid-afternoon nap.

"Huh? What time is it?" Josie said groggily as she sat up in bed.

"It's 5:30. You better hurry up and get ready for your date with _Vaughn_." Corrine teased.

Josie rolled her eyes. "It's not a _date_. It's just two friends studying together."

"Uh huh." Corrine said with a smirk on her face.

Josie noticed that Corinne was dressed rather different. She straightened her hair, and was wearing a flirty lavender short-sleeved top, which showed a little cleavage, and a jean skirt that came just above her knees, revealing her curvaceous body. "Hey you're looking **hot**! Where are you going?" Josie exclaimed.

Corrine smiled as she stood in front of the mirror, fixing her hair. "Well, Marshall told me that he wanted us to spend some alone time together. So I thought that I should look especially great for him tonight."

Josie smiled and stood up. "You don't just look **good**, you look pretty **damn hot**!" She said as she whistled and made more animal sounds at Corrine. Corrine laughed and continued prepping herself.

"I guess I'll go take a shower now and change out of this uniform," Josie said as she gathered her bathrobe and bathing products.

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Oh that must be Marshall!" Corrine said excitedly as she hurried over to the door. "How do I look?" She asked, facing Josie.

"I already _told you_, you're a hot babe!" Josie said rolling her eyes.

"Thanks" Corrine giggled as she took in a deep breath and opened the door.

When she opened the door, the sweet rich scent of cologne quickly swept inside the room, almost knocking her down. Marshall stood in the doorway, taken aback by her beauty. He stared at her wide-eyed with his mouth wide open.

"Well hello there sexy mama!" he finally blurted out and stepped inside the room.

As he stepped inside, both Josie and Corrine noticed that he had on too much cologne. Corrine tried to fight back the feeling of laughing, while Josie did not care to hide her frowning face.

"Uh…Marshall did you put on cologne?" Corrine asked hesitantly.

"Yeah…why? You don't like it? Marshall asked widening his eyes.

"No, no I love that fragrance but its just that you…"

"_Put on too damn much_!" Josie interrupted.

"Yeah what she said…" Corrine added carefully, trying not to hurt his feelings.

"Oh shit, Lucas warned me that it's too much. I'll go back and change." Marshall said pouting.

"No, no, it's not _that_ bad. It'll wear off soon, and besides, we'll be alone and no one will be around to bother us." Corrine said as she drew him in closer and kissed him gently on the lips.

Josie rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom. "I'm outta here. See you lovebirds later!" She yelled as she closed the bathroom door.

"See you later Josie!" Corrine yelled back.

"Yeah see you later mean ass!" Marshall yelled back jokingly. Corrine tapped him on the hand and kissed him again on the lips.

"So are you ready for our evening rendezvous'?" Marshall said smirking as he drew her in closer.

"It depends…where are we going?" Corrine retorted jokingly.

"As a matter of fact, I thought that we should first start off with a romantic stroll around campus and then take it from there." Marshall replied as a big smile spread across his face.

"Hmmm…sound's great! Let's go! I'm all yours." Corrine replied flirtatiously as they departed from the room and closed the door.

* * *

"Oh shit Josie will be here any minute!" Vaughn said as he finished dressing and cleaning up his room. He began to frantically spray a little air fragrance around the room. He then walked over to the mirror and fixed his clothes. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Vaughn's heart started to beat even faster and harder. He knew it was Josie on the other end of the door. He glanced at himself in the mirror one more time, making sure he looked appealing to her.

"Okay Vaughn you can _do _this." He whispered to himself as he walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hey Vaughn!" Josie said cheerfully. Vaughn just stood at the door star-struck. He noticed how beautiful Josie looked in her rebel outfit. Her flowing red hair was parted to the side. She wore a light blue fitted tee that said RULES SUCK and blue fitted jeans with a black belt around her waist, and she carried books in her hand. Vaughn wished he could just pull her right into his arms and kiss her.

"Hey;" he said composedly, with a huge grin on his face. "Come in."

"Your room seems different…did you change it?" Josie asked as she continued to scan the room.

"Oh uh yeah…I just changed around a few things and cleaned up a little." Vaughn said as he stood in front of her.

"It looks nice" she replied smiling.

"Thanks" Vaughn said nervously smiling.

"So…are you ready to start this crazy project Z gave to us?" Josie asked.

Vaughn sat down next to her on the bed. "Yeah I guess so. I was thinking…maybe we could just construct the right side of the brain and have different things sticking out of it."

"Like figures and signs." Josie added.

"Yeah." Vaughn retorted.

"Sounds great Vaughn." Josie said smiling.

"Let's get started and then we can take a break." Vaughn said as he sweetly smiled back at her.

* * *

"It's boring as hell." Lucas sighed as he switched on his computer. "I guess I'll start my project since Mr. Dumbass is my partner. Who knows what the hell he's doing."

After a few minutes of researching on the computer, Lucas decided to take a walk around the inside of the school and then visit Professor Z for a few minutes. As he walked down the stairs, he noticed that there were strange noises coming from the science lab.

"What the hell is that? I better go check it out " he whispered to himself as he cautiously walked over to the classroom door.

He quietly crept inside and noticed that the room was empty. He walked over to the far right side of the room and heard the noise getting louder and louder. He leaned over the side of Professor Z's desk and noticed that the gravity sensor was moving erratically.

"Oh shit! The vortex must be open in Z's office! That hasn't been open ever since Josie came back" he gasped and darted out of the room. Upon approaching Professor Z's office, he noticed the basement door slowly opening. Terrified, he ran back inside the science lab and peered out the door. To his surprise, he saw Madison coming from that same direction, appearing dazed and confused. She slowly turned her head towards Lucas's direction and stared blankly. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He hoped to God that she wouldn't notice him or come inside the classroom. After a few seconds, she turned around and walked upstairs to her bedroom.

"Phew that was close! I thought she saw me!" Lucas said nervously as he wiped his brow. When the coast was clear, he ran to Professor Z's office to see if the vortex had opened. He walked into the office and to his dismay, found that the vortex was not open.

"Why the hell would the gravity sensor go off if there is no vortex?" He asked himself confusedly. "I gotta find Z and tell him!" He said as he quickly ran out the door towards Z's bedroom.

* * *

"Okay Vaughn I think it's time we take a break." Josie suggested as she stopped writing and pushed her books off to the side.

"Yeah I agree. We've been studying for over an hour non-stop." Vaughn said as he stopped reading.

They sat in an awkward silence for two minutes. Both were nervous and contemplating on how to tell the other about their feelings.

"_Okay Vaughn, it's either now or never_." He thought to himself as he nervously looked down at his hands.

"So…" Josie said nervously as she glanced over at Vaughn.

"So…" Vaughn repeated, nervously smiling.

After a few seconds of another round of dead silence, Vaughn decided that it was time to speak up. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"Listen, Josie…there's something I've been meaning to tell you…he began as he gazed into her eyes.

"What is it Vaughn?" Josie asked curious, wide-eyed and heart pounding erratically.

"I um…I've been feeling this way for a while now…actually a year…"

Josie widened her eyes even more as she attentively listened to what he was trying to say. When she looked past him, she noticed something appear and then disappear quickly.

"Josie…I…" Vaughn began to say.

"Vaughn did you see that?" Josie exclaimed as she pointed over to the door.

"No what? What happened? He asked as he placed his hand on her knee."

"I can't believe I'm seeing this again!" Josie said as she stood up.

"See what? Josie what's wrong? He asked worriedly.

"Come on, we have to go downstairs to the library. I'll explain when we're in there." She said as she left the room.

Confused, Vaughn stood up and left the room and followed behind her. He was disappointed that his moment of truth was ruined and worried if he will ever get a second chance to express his feelings for her.

* * *

"Marshall it's so beautiful out here" Corrine said as they walked back to campus.

"Yes it is, but not as beautiful as you." Marshall cooed as he drew her in closer and kissed her passionately on the lips.

The evening was crisp and clear. The sun was about to set and the full moon could be seen faintly off in the distance. The air was warm with a gentle breeze. Blake Holsey appeared quiet and calm as if nothing was secretly transpiring. Off in the distance, Corrine and Marshall caught sight of a couple of students running around yelling.

"What are they doing?" Corrine asked with a puzzled expression.

"It looks like someone running around with nothing on…Oh sweet it's Kubiak streaking!" Marshall said laughing.

"Ew! Why the hell would he do that?" Corrine asked disgusted.

"To get back at Durst…he better hope he doesn't get caught!" Marshall said as he tried to control his laughter.

"Come on, let's keep walking." Corrine said as she locked arms with Marshall and made a disgusted grimace at Kubiak.

"Hey let's go sit in the back courtyard where we can have some privacy" Marshall suggested.

"Yeah that'll be great" Corrine said cheerfully as she kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

"Josie please tell me what's wrong?" Vaughn pleaded as he and Josie walked into the library.

Josie was busily searching and rummaging through the bookshelves, disregarding Vaughn's question.

"Josie!" Vaughn exclaimed as he walked over and stood in front of her. "Josie please…I want to help you."

Josie glanced up at him, tears welling up in her eyes. They both walked over to a study table and sat down.

"Please Jos, just tell me…" Vaughn whispered softly as he wiped a tear from her eye.

"I haven't told anyone but Corrine, but I think I saw something…something strange...I've been seeing this figure…and it started appearing to me ever since we watched that damn movie last night…"

Vaughn widened his eyes. His heart stopped beating for a split second, and then sped up quickly, for he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"So tell me everything Jos" he finally blurted out.

Josie took in a deep breath and told Vaughn everything…about what she noticed in the movie, in her dream, and in her room.

"…And then when you were talking to me I saw it appear and disappear…" she said nervously as she stood up. "That's why I wanted to come down here to find a book on dreams or dark figures or something…"

Vaughn sat in silence and glanced up at Josie, with a worried expression on his face. "Josie…you're not the only one who saw that figure…"

Josie frowned and sat back down. "What? What are you talking about? Who else has seen it?"

Vaughn lowered his head. "Who Vaughn?" Josie asked sternly as she gently placed her hand under his chin and lifted his head.

"I saw it too" he said in a whisper.

Josie widened her eyes; her heart sank deep into her stomach. She was both thrilled and at the same time upset that someone else besides her saw what she was seeing. She now had confirmation that she was not going crazy.

"How? Why? What the hell is going on? Did you have a dream, too?" Josie asked in a whisper.

"Yeah and I saw it twice in my room…once in the morning before class and the second time when you came in my room to wake me up." Vaughn replied as he began choking back fear.

"Then why didn't I see it when you saw it?' Josie asked frowning.

"Because by the time you turned around it was already gone…"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Josie inquired.

"I didn't want you to think I was crazy…I wasn't sure if I had seen it or not and I started to tell Marshall about it but I didn't…" Vaughn replied calmly.

Josie nodded her head. "Yeah I know what you mean…I told Corrine about it and she pissed me off a little when she didn't believe me. But Vaughn I would never think anything bad about you…" she leaned over and placed her hand on top of his.

"Jos what's going on? Why are we the only two who could see this thing…what ever the hell it is…"

"The first thing we should do is to find out what the hell it is. There's a book on dream symbols that Z told me was in this room." Josie said as she stood up and walked over to the bookcase. "Here it is!" She grabbed the book and walked back over to the table where Vaughn was sitting.

"Do you think its in here describing what it is?" Vaughn inquired confused.

"It might be but we'll just have to see…" she said as she turned the pages of the book.

After a few minutes, they came across a section entitled _"Dream Beings"._

"Oh look here's something," Vaughn said in a hopeful tone. They both began to read on, searching for possible clues to the identity of their tormenter.

To their dismay, the chapter did not reveal any clues. They pressed on and found another chapter entitled "Dream Symbols."

Josie made a sigh of disdain. "Hopefully its here." After a few seconds, they came across something that made their hearts drop.

"Look, it says _figures in dreams, typically humans, animals, or shapes can come in a variety of colors…normally dark shadowy figures symbolize evil, bad omen, or can be a messenger sent from someone or something_…" Vaughn's voice trailed off into silence.

They both stared at each other in horror.

"Vaughn I'm scared…"

"Me too Jos, me too…"

* * *

"This is great Marshall." Corrine asked as she snuggled up against him as they sat on the bench seat. "I'm glad that we're finally spending this alone time with each other. We really needed it."

"Yeah I know…we're always with the others and when we're alone, we just study." Marshall replied as he placed his arm around her.

"I think people were beginning to get sick of seeing us make out so much!" Corrine giggled shyly. They both turned and faced each other. Marshall caressed her face gently as he stared into her beautiful brown eyes.

"So…nobody's around…what do you say that we…share a kiss?" Marshall said grinning devilishly as he raised his eyebrows up and down repeatedly. Corrine laughed and placed her hands on his face.

"Well Mr. Wheeler…that's the best suggestion you've made all evening…she cooed as she drew him in closer and kissed him passionately on the lips.

* * *

"You know what?" Vaughn began. "We should see if there's any info about this stuff on the internet" he suggested as he walked over to the computer and logged on.

"Yeah let's see…it's gotta be on there…" Josie agreed as she walked over to him. Vaughn googled every word possible to describe the "phantom".

"Try dream symbols and dark humanoid figures" Josie said as she leaned over his shoulder and typed in the words herself. After a few minutes of desperate searching, they soon found what they were looking for.

"It says the same thing that was in the books…" Vaughn said tiredly. So whatever this thing is it was definitely conjured up by someone…but who?" A frightening chill ran down their backs.

Josie clenched Vaughn's shoulders and trembled in horror. "Vaughn, whatever happens, at least we'll be together."

Vaughn could feel her hands trembling on his shoulders and stood up and turned to her.

"I'm scared as shit too…. Do you think we should find the others and tell them?"

"Yeah I think we should…even if they don't believe us…" Josie said nervously.

"Come on let's go!" Vaughn commanded as he gently grabbed Josie's hand and walked towards the door.

Before they could even make it over to the door, a frightening figure appeared out of the wall. They both stood in horror as they noticed the figure materializing.

"Vaughn…look!" Josie shrieked.

"What the hell is that? What do you want!" Vaughn yelled as the figure moved slowly towards them.

"This is exactly what it did in my dream! It didn't answer me or anything! It just stalked me!" Josie cried as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Josie come on!" Vaughn exclaimed as he grabbed her hand and darted through the isles of bookshelves. "Hide here!" Vaughn whispered loudly as they hid behind a secluded bookshelf. They both peered through the shelf and noticed that the figure had disappeared.

"Maybe it's gone!" Josie whispered.

"We can't be too sure…we have to get the hell out of here!" Vaughn whispered back. "On the count of three, run to the door." Ready? One, two, three!" They both ran as fast as they could towards their only way of escaping their nightmare come true. The figure once again appeared in the doorway, blocking their path.

"Josie run back to the table and start throwing books!" Vaughn demanded as he too ran with her.

"What the hell do you want!" Vaughn shouted as he violently threw books at the figure in hopes of injuring it.

They continued to frantically throw books and whatever else at the figure, but everything passed right through it. It continued to slowly advance towards them.

Josie ran over to Vaughn's side and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. They both began to hold each other tightly, terrified as to what was going to happen next. Now the figure was face to face with them. Only the table separated them from its cold grasp. They both stood there staring at it, and it returned a death gaze upon them. Vaughn finally mustered up the courage and broke the silence.

"What the hell are you! Answer me dammit!" He said defiantly. He bravely leaned in closer to get a better look at the creature's face. He could see that there was an outline of a nose, eyes, and mouth, as if it was not finished transforming. Vaughn and Josie stepped back from the table and held each other close.

"Vaughn don't! Let's not get any closer to it!" Josie screamed. They both continued to back away from the table, but found it difficult to walk with the scattered books on the floor.

Suddenly, a forceful wind began to fill the room. There were books and paper flying everywhere. An electric surge shot out from every corner of the room, causing a wind tunnel to form in the center of the room.

"What's happening to us!" Josie screamed.

"Josie hold on I got you! Here keep holding my hand tightly, we can run out the door now he's not in the way." Vaughn shouted.

The figure continued to stand by the table and watched as they struggled against the forceful wind to make it to the door. Everything was happening in slow motion. Just as they were a mere two feet away from the door, something strange happened. Out of nowhere, a blinding light flashed that engulfed the whole room. The light was so brilliant that it illuminated half of the school and shined for what seemed like forever. After the light finally faded, everything was quiet and still. Both Josie and Vaughn were gone…

**Hey! How did you guys like it? Sorry it's long. I just wanted to get everything out of the way so that now the action can happen and the mysteries can be solved! It's about damn time! I just wanted to build up suspense and explain everything. So now chapter 10 is coming up shortly. I am also writing my second fic, which may be a trilogy or something. It will be posted when my last chapter for this fic is posted. So you guys know what to do! Rate and review! P.S. Thank you guys so much for reading my fic, I really really appreciate it!.**


	10. Out of Touch, Out of Time

**Hello guys here's chapter 10! The flashback is written here to show you guys what occurred at the same time Josie and Vaughn disappeared. There are only a few more chapters left! Read and enjoy!**

**Flashback:** _Just as they were a mere two feet away from the door, something strange happened. Out of nowhere, a blinding light flashed that engulfed the whole room. The light was so brilliant that it illuminated half of the school and shined for what seemed like forever…_

Corrine and Marshall were enjoying the rest of the evening. They sat quietly in the courtyard, snuggled up with each other on the bench under the old willow tree. The sun continued to set in the horizon, causing the sky to change a dark-purplish blue. Off in the distance, the moon began to become visible, emitting a small glow in the sky.

"This is so peaceful Marshall…" Corrine whispered as she rested her head on his chest.

Marshall brushed a few strands of hair off of her shoulder and gently kissed her on the neck. Corrine let out a soft moan as the warmth and softness of Marshall's lips touched her neck.

"I can stay out here all night with you…" Marshall cooed.

"Yeah I wish we could…" Corrine replied as she lifted her head off his chest and faced him. Marshall gazed into her eyes. He noticed how the moonlight illuminated her eyes, and was dumbfounded by her beauty.

"Marshall what's wrong?" Corrine asked sweetly.

Marshall snapped out of his daze. "Oh uh…nothing. I was just admiring how the moonlight captures your beauty."

Corrine smiled as she blushed. They both sat in silence for a few moments, savoring each other's company. After a few seconds, Marshall turned to her and placed her hand in his.

"Corrine…I love you!" Maeshall blurted out.

Corrine widened her eyes and sat in a state of shock for a few seconds. Her heart started to race as she struggled to reply to his words. Marshall also sat quietly, looking away from Corrine's glance, fearful of her response.

"Marshall…I love you too" Corrine said sweetly. Marshall released a big sigh of relief and drew her in closer to him and passionately kissed her on the lips. As they were engaged in each other's love, a bright light began to intensify in the background. Corrine and Marshall both opened their eyes.

"Is that light coming from the moon?" Corrine asked as she broke away from the kiss. They both glanced up at the sky and noticed that the intense light was not coming from the moon.

"It seems like the back of the school is glowing." Marshall said worriedly.

"I wonder where that light is coming from? Do you think we should check it out?" Corrine asked.

Marshall continued to stare at the light, overcome with curiosity and fear. "Yeah lets go see what it is" he said as he stood up and grabbed Corrine's hand.

They slowly walked towards the back of the school, in the direction of the mysterious glowing light. As they approached the side of the building, the light intensified, causing them to shield their eyes. They stood a few feet away from the building, not daring to get any closer.

"It must be coming from the library" Corrine said. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the light disappeared. Corrine and Marshall slowly removed their hands from around their eyes and scanned the area. Marshall bravely took a few steps closer to the school, but was stopped by Corrine.

"Marshall please don't get any closer…you don't know what's over there." Corrine warned as she extended her arm out to stop him.

Marshall nodded in agreement. "You're right. Come on let'sgo through the front doors and look inside the school to see which room the light came from" he said as they walked towards the door of the school.

"Do you think it's a vortex?" Corrine asked.

"I don't think so…the only vortex that's in this place is inside Z's office…I _think._" Marshall replied uncertain.

"We'll soon find out" Corrine said as she opened the front doors of school. A feeling of danger and uncertainty crept up inside them.

"Did you feel that Corrine?" Marshall asked, widening his eyes.

"Yeah I did…something's not right" Corrine replied as she carefully stepped inside, grasping Marshall's hand tightly. They both were unaware that something horrible had just occurred in the library and that two of their friends were gone.

* * *

Professor Z was busy in his room studying the mysterious papers written by Professor Middleton. He was deep in thought when he was suddenly interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Professor Z we need to talk" Lucas said panting as he barged into the room.

"What's wrong?" Z asked worriedly as he closed the leather folder.

"I just saw Madison coming out of the basement…" Lucas blurted out.'

Z widened his eyes. "What? Lucas take a deep breath and calm down. Now tell me slowly what happened."

Lucas breathed in a deep breath and sat down in the lounge chair that was across from Z's bed. He began to tell him about the gravity sensor mysteriously turning on and how Madison stared blankly in his direction.

"Lucas I thought I told you guys not to go off snooping around on Madison or the janitor…I said that **I **would do that…" Professor Z said, irritated.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I wasn't purposely spying on her...I got bored so I decided to take a walk around the school and then visit you…that's when I heard the noise in the classroom and that's when I saw Madison."

Z stood up from the bed and shook his head. He now seemed more concerned about what was beginning to unravel in the weirdness of Madison's behavior.

"How long did the sensor go off?" Z asked.

"It was on for about 10 minutes, but it could have been on much longer than that…" Lucas replied.

"Did you look in my office to see if the vortex opened?"

"Yeah I did, but it wasn't open." Lucas replied

"Hmmm that's weird…" Z said rubbing his chin, deep in thought. The only time the sensor goes off is when the vortex opens."

"Maybe there's another vortex somewhere that opened in the school." Lucas suggested.

"Impossible…" Z retorted. "The vortex needs a palladium base in order to exist and the only palladium base is in my office…"

"I honestly think that there's more vortexes inside this school and around the whole property. I believe there is definitely something in the basement. Why else would Madison come from down there in the first place?" Lucas said.

"That could also be true Lucas." Z stated. "That would explain the magnetic force Marshall discovered when he went into the basement."

"So what do we do now?" Lucas asked curiously.

"Before we do anything, I have to show you something…" Z said as he walked over to the bed and sat down.

He picked up the leather folder that was hidden under his pillow. Lucas moved closer to him, frowning at the folder.

"What's that?" Lucas asked.

"I wasn't going to show you guys until I came up with the answers for myself. I found this hidden in the science lab." Z stated as he handed Lucas the folder.

"What's all this? Research papers?" Lucas asked confused as he flipped through the sheets of papers.

"It's more than that…"Z began. "It's confidential documents made by Professor Middleton."

Lucas widened his eyes and glanced over at Z in shock. "No one has mentioned him since he…"

"Yes I know since he disappeared 3 ½ years ago…" Z interrupted. "It appears that he has been interested inmany more things than teaching…" Z said as he took the folder away from Lucas.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked confused.

Z turned to the confidential section of the folder and showed him the blueprints of a secret lab and other drawings and data. Lucas carefully studied the blueprints and drawings. He became alarmed when he recognized something strange, yet familiar.

"Hey I recognize this picture…" Lucas said as he pointed to a sketch of a dark figure.

Professor Z leaned over to get a better view. "Where did you see that?"

"Josie was scribbling that in her notebook earlier in class today." Lucas replied frowning. "What is this? How could they draw the exact same thing?"

"I'm not sure…I don't think that Josie knew anything about Professor Middleton or this folder…She would have told us if she found something suspicious." Professor Z said worriedly.

"I know for a fact that she never saw this…Josie would never keep secrets from us…" Lucas defended.

"Did she say where she had seen the drawing before?" Z asked widening his eyes.

"No. I asked her about it but she didn't answer me…She just closed her notebook and said it was nothing…" Lucas replied.

"To get to the bottom of this, we're going to have to ask her…" Z said as he continued to study the confidential papers.

After a few minutes of reading, Z came across something else in the folder. It was Professor Middleton's unfinished letter to Victor Pearson.

"Lucas look what I've found…" Z said as he removed the letter from the folder. Lucas took the letter out ofZ's hands and began to read it aloud.

* * *

**Dear Mr. Pearson,**

**I have come to a last minute decision concerning my tenure here at Blake Holsey. As you know, I've been teaching here for the past 6 years and have done scientific research with you for the past 8 years. We have made fascinating discoveries together, including the wormhole in my science lab, and the discovery of a gravitational field around the campus. I have enjoyed my time here, but ever since you denied me the right to continue on with my secret project, I have decided to leave. You will sorely regret canceling my project, for I have made many new discoveries about the school and the wormhole, which you will never know about. But, being the fair man that I am, I will tell you one of my discoveries. I have discovered a small device which…**

* * *

"He didn't finish writing the letter" Lucas said as he flipped the paper over, searching for more words.

"This sounds like Middleton and Victor were close colleagues at one time." Z said standing up.

" I wonder what other new things he discovered about the school that he didn't want anyone else to know about?" Lucas asked curiously.

"Who knows…maybe he's lying just to get back at Victor." Z assumed.

"It seems like he was about to describe that small, black box-like thing I found a few months ago…the tesseract!" Lucas exclaimed.

"It may or may not be the tesseract that he was describing…it might be something that was top secret for his project…" Z stated as he became lost in thought.

"Well whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out soon…" Lucas retorted as he continued to examine the mound of confidential papers.

* * *

Corrine and Marshall walked slowly through the halls of Blake Holsey, anxious as to what they may find inside. As they passed the rec room and tv room, they peered inside to see if there was any evidence of a glowing light. They noticed some of the students carrying on with their business, as if nothing strange had occurred.

"Maybe they didn't notice anything." Corrine said as she stood in the doorway of the rec room.

"Do you think we should ask someone if they saw anything unusual?" Marshall asked anxiously.

Corrine shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah I guess it wouldn't hurt."

Marshall scanned the room to see whom he should ask. Amongst the small crowd of students, he noticed two small freshman boys he used to tutor, playing chess. He walked past Corrine in the doorway and made his way through the small crowd over to the boys.

"Hey Neil, hey Max…" Marshall said. The boys glanced up and smiled.

"Hey Marsh what's up?" Neil said as he stood up to face him.

"Hey guys I don't mean to disturb your chess game but have you seen anything strange in the past10 minutes?"

Max and Neil glanced over at each other and frowned in confusion. "No we haven't seen anything strange….we've been playing chess for the past 45 minutes." Neil replied as he sat back down and continued playing chess.

"Well I left the room about10 minutes ago to take a break from this game…" Max began. "When I was about to go upstairs to my room I saw a bright light coming from one of the classrooms in the back…"

Marshall widened his eyes and stood quiet for a moment as he thought.

"Marsh is everything alright?" Neil asked worriedly.

"Oh uh…yeah, yeah, I'm just trying to see which way the light came from" he stuttered.

"I think it either came from the library or the history classroom…" Max replied.

"Okay thanks, see you guys later!" Marshall said as he walked hurriedly over to Corrine, who was still standing in the doorway.

"Corrine I know where the light came from!" Marshall said excitedly as he grabbed her hand and led her down the hallway.

"Marshall wait! What did they say?" Corrine asked as she stopped in her tracks.

"Max said he saw light coming from either the library or the history classroom…"

Corrine widened her eyes in shock. "No one noticed? He didn't think anything about it?"

"I guess not…so far only _he_ noticed." Marshall retorted.

They both stood alone in the hallway, staring in the direction of the library and history classroom. Corrine turned to face Marshall with a worried frown on her face.

"I guess we'd better go…it's either now or never."

Marshall forced a weak smile that turned into a serious, determined frown. "Let's do it." He said bravely as he gently grabbed her hand and walked towards the history room.

Corrine stood behind Marshall as he slowly opened the door and turned on the lights.

"Do you see anything?" Corrine whispered, hiding her face.

"No. Everything appears fine, there's nothing out of the ordinary in here." He replied as he turned off the lights and closed the door.

They walked a few steps over to the library and noticed that the door was cracked open and the lights were flickering inside. Uneasiness began to well up inside them as they inched closer to the door.

"Are you ready?" Marshall asked as he held Corrine's hand.

"Yeah." She whispered softly as she gently pushed open the door.

They both peered inside the room and noticed that everything was not right. There were papers and books thrown all over the floor. Tables and chairs were turned over, bookshelves were toppled over, and the computers had blinking screens.

"What the hell happened in here?" Corrine frowned as she stepped further inside the room.

"It looks like a hurricane hit this place." Marshall added.

They walked further inside and searched the area, trying to find clues of a light source.

"Hey look at this." Corrine said as she bent over and picked up a book. "It's a book about dreams…do you think this had anything to do with what happened?"

"No, it's nothing… let's keep looking for evidence of a light source…" Marshall stated as he walked over to the opposite side of the room.

"It's obvious that a vortex has opened in here." Corrine said. "We have to go find Josie and Vaughn and the others and tell them."

"Okay let's go." Marshall said as he walked over to the door.

At the same time they turned around to take one last glance at the room, they were startled to find the janitor standing in front of them, blocking the doorway.

"You're too late…" the janitor said coldly.

Corrine and Marshall looked over at each other in confusion.

"What?" Marshall asked irritated.

"You're too late…they're gone…it's over..."he stated again as he turned around and walked away.

"Wait who's gone? What do you mean we're too late? Hey! Come back here!" Marshall yelled as he tried to follow the janitor before Corrine abruptly stopped him.

"Marshall no!" Corrine said sternly. "Let's go find the others and tell Z. Something tells me that everything is not okay…let's go!" She grabbed Marshall's hand walked upstairs to her room.

"Let's see where Josie and Vaughn are studying…"Marshall suggested.

They ran over to Vaughn's room and knocked on the door.

"Vaughn! Josie! Are you guys in there?" Corrine yelled. There was no answer. "Josie! Vaughn! Open up!" Corrine yelled again, but still no answer.

"They must be in my room." Corrine said as she dashed over to her room and opened the door. "Josie you in here?" She yelled as she looked in the bathroom.

A worried frown spread across her face. "They're not here…where could they be?"

"Maybe they're with Lucas…Let's go look in my room." Marshall suggested.

"Lucas are you in here?" Marshall yelled as he searched around the room. "He's not in here."

"Maybe he's with Z" Corrine said and they ran downstairs and knocked on Professor Z's bedroom door.

"Professor Z are you in there?" Marshall yelled as he frantically knocked on the door.

Professor Z opened the door with a worried frown on his face. "What's wrong? Come in and have a seat."

As they stepped inside the room, they noticed Lucas sitting in the lounge chair reading. Lucas glanced up at his friends, puzzled by their odd behavior.

"What's wrong guys?" Lucas asked as he stood up.

"Have you seen Josie and Vaughn?" Corrine asked, out of breath.

"No, not since dinner…why what's going on? Lucas asked.

Marshall began to tell Z and Lucas about the white light they had seen outside and how the library was in total shambles.

"And then when we were about to leave, the janitor popped up in front of us" Marshall stated.

Z and Lucas widened their eyes. "Did he say anything to you?" Z asked.

"He kept repeating that we were too late and that they're gone" Corrine answered.

"Who's gone? What is he talking about?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know…"Marshall replied. "It's obvious that someone is missing…"

Everyone stood in a deafening silence as they all came to the horrific conclusion that it was Josie and Vaughn that the janitor was talking about.

"Oh no…don't tell me…it can't be…"Corrine said worriedly as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Josie…"Lucas whispered.

"Oh my God…he was telling the truth…he was talking about Josie and Vaughn! I can't believe they're missing!" Marshall exclaimed.

"No no…it can't be…weren't they studying with each other tonight?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah…" Corrine replied. "You know what? Maybe they're studying over at his dad's house." She suggested, hoping that this was a last resort of proving the janitor wrong.

"There's only one way to find out." Marshall suggested. "Someone has to call Victor's house and ask for Vaughn."

"I'll do it." Corrine said as she grabbed the phone off the receiver and dialed Victor's number. Anxiety and fear began to fill up inside her with every unanswered ring, until finally on the third ring, someone answered.

* * *

"_Hello Pearson residence." Victor said._

"_Oh hi Mr. Pearson this is Corrine."_

"_Oh yes Ms. Baxter. What motivates you to call?"_

"_I was just wondering if I may speak to Vaughn."_

"_Vaughn isn't here. I haven't seen him all day. Isn't he supposed to be in his dorm room?"_

"_Oh yeah, I'll check his room again…thanks Mr. Pearson." _

* * *

She quickly placed the phone back on its receiver and looked over solemnly at the anxious men who were standing around her.

"Guys…they're not over there…"

Silence fell throughout the room. Everyone was overcome with grief and distraught over the possibility that Josie and Vaughn had somehow disappeared.

"Before we draw any conclusions we have to check out the whole school. Ask **every** student if they saw Josie or Vaughn, but **do not** ask Principal Durst." Z stated as he made his way over to the bedroom door and opened it.

For the next hour, they split off into different directions searching every part of the school for Josie and Vaughn. They asked every student if they had seen them, but everyone gave the same discouraging answer…"No."

After the long search, they met up in the t.v. room, exhausted and stressed. They were about to give up hope when they had a breakthrough. Lucas glanced around the room and noticed a small, quiet girl that was sitting across the room reading. He realized that he forgot to ask her about Josie and Vaughn.

He walked over to her calm and cool, careful not to disturb her. "Excuse me can I ask you something?"

The girl looked up from her book and smiled happily at Lucas. "Sure what's up?"

"Have you by any chance seen Josie Trent and Vaughn Pearson? You know the short red-haired girl and a tall, clueless jock?"

"Yeah I know who you're talking about…I saw them like two hours ago going into the library…they seemed pretty flustered." She said with a big smile.

Lucas' heart dropped to his stomach. He stood in front of the girl wide-eyed in shock over her answer.

The girl frowned at him in curiosity. "Are you okay?"

Lucas snapped out of his gaze. "Yeah, yeah thanks…for your help!" He exclaimed as he hurried over to his friends.

"Guys we have a sighting of Josie and Vaughn!" Lucas said panting. "The girl over there said that she saw them over two hours ago going into the library and that they looked flustered."

Before he could say anything else, Marshall, Corrine, and Z ran out of the room and down the hall to the library. Lucas soon caught up to them.

"Z brace yourself it's pretty ugly in there…" Marshall said as he slowly opened the door and they all stepped inside.

"What happened in here?" Z asked as he walked around and scanned the room.

"Josie…Vaughn…you in here?" Lucas yelled in vain.

"Lucas it's no use…they're not here…" Corrine said sadly. "Marshall and I were already in here and we didn't see anyone."

"But she told me that they were in here…" Lucas mumbled as he kicked the books on the floor angrily.

As they all stood in silence, a voice echoed in the room.

"You won't find them in here…" the voice said. Everyone turned around at once and saw the janitor standing in the doorway.

"What?" Lucas said angrily.

"You won't find them here…they've been taken away…" the janitor repeated

. Fear and anxiety welled up inside everyone again. Corrine began to cry and Marshall wrapped his arms around her to console her.

"Cut it out with all the cryptic bullshit." Lucas said as he walked over to the doorway and stood face to face with the janitor.

"Lucas stop it." Z commanded sternly.

"Tell us what you did to them…" Lucas demanded.

"Lucas please…let me handle this." Z pleaded as he walked over to the doorway and moved Lucas from in front of the janitor.

"Please tell us what happened to Josie and Vaughn…" Z pleaded.

"I just told you…they've been taken away…you're too late" the janitor replied eerily.

Z began to get frustrated and asked him once more. "That's not an answer…Please tell us who took them away! What happened!"

The janitor eyed Lucas and then turned his head back to look at Z. "Someone that is not of this time or not of this world …" He replied.

Lucas quickly ran over to the janitor in an angry dash and pinned him up against the wall.

"Look you son of a bitch, I'm sick of your shit! Tell us who kidnapped Josie and Vaughn or else I'll kick your balls up to your brain!"

Z, Corrine, and Marshall stood in shock over Lucas' rage. They had never seen him this angry or demanding before.

Z quickly ran over and pushed Lucas off of the janitor. "Lucas stop it…you won't get any answers by using violence".

"This bastard knows what happened and he won't tell us!" Lucas shouted as he kicked a book across the floor.

Marshall walked over to Lucas and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Lucas calm down buddy…he's gonna tell us…just be patient…"

"Please tell us what happened now!" Z demanded the janitor.

The janitor slowly lifted his head and eyed Z. "I don't know where they are…"he mumbled.

"Well do you know who took them?" Corrine sobbed.

The janitor slowly walked over to where Corrine was standing. "I know because I saw **it.**

Josie warned you about the figure but you didn't listen to her…and now it's too late…"

Corrine stood in astonishment and terror. She remembered Josie telling her about the figure shehad seen in their room.

"Corrine what the hell is he talking about?" Lucas asked angrily.

Tears streamed down Corrine's face as she began to answer Lucas' question. "Josie told me she had seen a dark human figure in her dream and in our room this morning. I should have listened to her and now…they're gone…" She sobbed. Marshall quickly walked over to his sweetheart and wrapped his arms around her.

"How do you know what took them away?" Marshall asked the janitor.

The janitor stared at Marshall, contemplating on whether or not he should tell the full story about the reasons why they were taken away and who were the people responsible. He drew in a deep breath and began his account of the event.

"I was standing in the hallway from afar and saw the phantom come through the wall and take them. I couldn't see anything else because of the bright flash. They were running…trying to get away. They were almost at the door and screamed for me to help them, but it was too late…they disappeared…"

"So you just stood there like an asshole idiot and didn't help them?" Lucas yelled angrily.

The janitor slowly dropped his head solemnly, before answering Lucas.

"I tried…I couldn't…it was part of the plan…" he whispered.

Z widened his eyes. "What? Part of what plan? Are you involved in this?"

The janitor glanced up at everyone with guilt and regret written all over his face. He knew that he was indeed involved slightly, and was responsible for Josie and Vaughn's disappearance. He dared not tell them.

"I have to go…What's done is done…Everything happens for a reason…" he said cryptically as he hurried out of the door and disappeared down the dark hallway.

"Hey! Bring your ass back here! We're not finished with you!" Lucas yelled as he started to go after him. Z stoppedhim before he had the chance to walk into the desolate hallway.

"Lucas, don't…we'll get him later…I have a feeling that he knows more than what he's telling us. He'll break down soon." Z said reassuringly.

"How do you know Z? By that time Josie and Vaughn will be in more danger than what they are now!" Corrine cried. Marshall placed his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"They will be fine Corrine…we'll get them back…I promise." Marshall whispered sweetly.

"So what do we do now Z?" Lucas asked worriedly.

"I don't know Lucas…I just don't know…"

**So guys how do you like it? I already have chapter 11 written and will post soon when I get a lot more of reviews! So you know what to do next...Rate and review!**


	11. Take Me On

**A/N: Hello everyone! I know I said I would wait for more reviews until I posted more but who cares! At the request of many of my readers and reviewers, I decided to post chp 11. This focuses more on Josie and Vaughn and answers the question as to what happened to them. I know my chaps are long and it seems like too many things are going on at once so from now on, I'll focus on one or two scenes at a time, depending on the importance or how the scenes connect with each other. I actually had to break up this chapter in two so chapter 12, which is coming up in a few hours is a continuation of chp 11! So here it is! Chapter 11 enjoy!**

Awakening from what seemed like an eternal sleep of death, Vaughn slowly opened his eyes. His body felt heavy and drained as he struggled to sit upright. He rested his back up against the cold, brick wall and realized that he was in a small, damp, and dark room. He scanned the area and noticed a small window in the corner, which allowed little moonlight to escape into the room. As he placed his hands on the floor, he felt something warm and fleshy. He slowly moved his hand up the object and noticed that it was a leg, still attached to a body. He immediately knew that it was Josie beside him…but why wasn't she talking?

"Josie…Jos…" he whispered. No answer. Worry and fear welled up inside his stomach. He quickly turned his body around to face the direction of where Josie lay motionless. He felt his way up her body until he felt her stomach moving up and down. He leaned in closer to where he could see the outline of her face and whispered into her ear. "Josie…Josie wake up _please_…"he pleaded in vain as he gently shook her shoulder. He carefully moved to the other side and lifted her upper body. He sat behind her and allowed her head to rest gently on his lap.

"Josie wake up…please wake up…I can't lose you again…" he whispered for the second time into her ear.

He gently brushed a few strands of hair away from her face, and marveled at how beautiful she looked asleep. After a few agonizing minutes of waiting anxiously for something to happen, Josie let out a soft moan. Vaughn sighed in relief as he carefully held her upright in his arms.

"Josie are you okay? Please answer me…"

Josie slowly opened her eyes and rubbed her head. She turned around quickly, startled by the darkness and unfamiliarity of the room. Vaughn held her closely in his arms and whispered reassuringly.

"It's okay Jos...I'm here…you're safe…"

Josie rested her head back against Vaughn's chest, and breathed in a sigh of relief. "Where are we? What's going on?" she asked curiously.

"I think we're in some sort of cell…I have no idea where the hell we are..." Vaughn replied as he glanced around the room.

Josie closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to remember what occurred.

"All I remember is that we were in the library and this thing came after us and…"

"Then there was a big flash…" Vaughn added.

"What was that thing that came after us?" Josie asked, shaking.

"I don't know…I think it's some sort of ghost or something…but it's definitely the figure we've been seeing all day…" Vaughn replied.

"What do you suppose it wants?" Josie asked, wearily.

"I have no idea, but I have this gut feeling that we'll be seeing it again" Vaughn said as his words drifted away into the darkness.

Josie shifted herself away from Vaughn's lap and sat in silence for a few moments next to him. "Do you think the others notice we're missing…I don't think anyone knew we were in the library…"

Vaughn glanced over at Josie. He could barely see the outline of her face in the darkness. "I hope so…the only person who saw us in the library was…"

"The janitor!" Josie interrupted. "He was the only one that had seen us when we were being taken away!"

"I remember now…I remember us begging him to help us but he just stood there staring at us…as if he wanted that thing to take us!" Vaughn said angrily. "You don't think he had that thing kidnap us do you?"

Josie frowned. "No, but I think he knew that it was coming for us…that explains his weird behavior all day."

"I just hope that someone finds us before it's too late…" Vaughn said under his breath.

"How long have we been here?" Josie inquired, looking around the room.

"I'm not sure; I just woke up a few minutes ago before you…"Vaughn replied.

"Hey let's sit over there by the corner; it's brighter over there." Josie said as she stood up and carefully walked over to the dimly lit corner. Vaughn followed close behind her, making sure she did not get out of his sight.

"Whatever that flash was it knocked us unconscious for a while…"Josie said as she sat down in the corner, focusing her eyes on Vaughn.

"Yeah", Vaughn began as he sat down beside her, "when I woke up, I realized that you were unconscious. That scared me a lot because…Vaughn hesitated, holding back tears, because I thought you were dead…"

Tears welled up inside Josie's eyes; she could sense that Vaughn was scared and that he truly cared for her. She turned to face him and placed his hands in hers.

"Don't worry Vaughn, Josie sniffled, I'm here…you won't lose me again, I promise."

Vaughn looked up and met her glance. He softly wiped the tears from her eyes and drew her in closer. They both stared into each other's eyes for a brief moment until they were overcome with temptation. Vaughn leaned in closer and gently kissed her on the lips. Josie was startled at first, but she gave in to the moment, unable to repress her feelings for him. Vaughn pulled her in closer and gently squeezed her back, savoring the taste of her lips. With each passing moment, the kiss deepened and caused them to become unaware of their surroundings. Suddenly out of nowhere, sounds of mumbling could be heard echoing on the other side of their cell door. They both paused, breaking away from kissing.

"What was that?" Vaughn whispered.

"Sounds like people talking." Josie replied.

Vaughn stood up and walked over to the door. He pressed his ear to the door to clearly hear what was going on. He could hear two men arguing in the hall, but could not make out clearly as to what they were saying.

"Do you hear anything?" Josie whispered.

"Shhh!" Vaughn said as he continued to listen closely. "It sounds like two guys arguing about something…I can't understand what they're saying."

The men's voices gradually got closer, stopping right in front of the door. Vaughn stood there frozen, unable to move. Josie noticed Vaughn's stance and quietly walked over to the door and listened. They both could now clearly understand the men's conversation and were horrified at what they heard.

_Man 1: "I don't give a damn what you say…"_

_Man 2: You'd better or else you will be out of a job…He wants us to take them away where no one will find them…He said to separate them so that they won't have any chance to escape."_

_Man 1: "Look, I don't like this shit at all! I don't wanna do this…this ain't right man!"_

Man 2: "What are you worried about? They're probably still knocked out…they won't feel a thing!"

_Man 1: "Why does he need to get rid of them anyway? They're just a couple of innocent kids! They've never done anything to him!"_

_Man 2_: "_Look you either do what I say or else I will tell him that you disobeyed his orders. I'll make sure he hangs you upside down and gut you like a pig! Now open the damn door!"_

Vaughn and Josie stood at the door speechless. They didn't know what to do. All they knew was that someone wanted them gone…and for good. They had to come up with a plan fast…before it was too late.

Tears welled up in Josie's eyes. "Vaughn what are we gonna do?"

Vaughn pressed his back up against the door, preventing the men from opening it. "Think Vaughn think!" He said to himself. He quickly came up with an idea. "Okay so when they open the door, you run out first, you're small so they won't catch you quick enough. I'll distract them so that you can get away."

"But Vaughn what about you? How will you get out?" Josie asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about me…If I get caught, I'll still come find you…don't come looking for me…I don't want you to get hurt. Try to find a way out of here. It seems like we got here through a vortex or something…look for that and get home."

Josie rolled her eyes and frowned, "Vaughn there's no way I'm leaving you here. We _came_ here together we _leave_ together."

A small smile appeared on Vaughn's face. "Still the same ol' stubborn Josie…when someone tries to tell you what to do, you still do it your own way." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

Suddenly the doorknob began to turn. They both pressed their backs against the door hard, preventing the men from opening it. They could feel the men struggling on the other side trying to push the door open and heard one man curse.

Vaughn glanced over at Josie. "Okay Jos on the count of three I want you to back away and let them open the door and then run." Ready one…two…three…!"

Josie and Vaughn ran away from the door. The door flung open, revealing two men dressed in white smocks. One man was middle-aged, short with thinning hair and dirty looking; the other was taller and younger, about four years older than Josie and Vaughn. He was very innocent looking and clean, with short, dark hair. He had an expression of remorse on his face. He did not step into the room with his partner. Instead, he waited at the door, purposely allowing an opportunity for Josie and Vaughn to get away.

"So…you two are awake ay?" The older man said as he stepped further into the room. Josie and Vaughn grabbed each other's hand and stepped back. "Do you know why you're here?"

"Huh? Answer me!" The man growled.

Josie and Vaughn glanced at each other. "No I don't know _why_ were here! Why did you bring us here!" Vaughn yelled defiantly.

The man stepped closer to Vaughn and stared him fiercely in the eyes. Vaughn could smell the stench of alcohol and cigarettes emitting from his breath.

"Well I'll tell 'ya why you're here…it's so that _you_ and _her_ won't get in the way of some very important plans…"

Vaughn and Josie eyed him with disgust and confusion.

"What plans are you talking about?" Josie asked angrily.

"Shut up short stuff…no one's talkin' to you!" The man said angrily.

"Don't you _ever _talk to her like that! Watch who the hell you're talking to!" Vaughn yelled as he balled up his fists, ready for the opportune moment to strike.

The man grinned devilishly and glanced down at Vaughn's fists. "So now you're all pissed off because I disrespected your little girlfriend…What 'cha gonna do? Hit me? Go ahead. I dare ya…" Vaughn drew back his fist and was about to deliver a punch when the man quickly bum rushed him in the chest and pinned him to the wall. Vaughn could feel the edges of the cold, hard bricks piercing his back and elbows as he tried to push the man away. The man was abnormally strong for his short height and frail-looking appearance, but he proved to be less strong than Vaughn.

"What's wrong? Not fast enough to hit me?" The man taunted. Vaughn struggled to wrestle him to the ground. The man kept resisting and fighting back and yelled over to the young man standing in the doorway.

"Ryan! Quick! Grab the girl!"

Josie looked at the young man standing in the doorway. He purposely did not come inside the room. He wanted to make it obvious to Josie that he was letting her escape. Vaughn glanced over at Josie in horror as he struggled to fight off the man.

"Josie run!" Vaughn yelled. Josie ran out of the door and past Ryan, who smiled reassuringly as he watched her escape.

As Vaughn continued to fight off the grimy man, Ryan continued to stand in the doorway, unwilling to help his boss. "Ryan you asshole why did you let her get away! Come help me pin this bastard down so that we can lock him away!" The grimy man yelled.

Vaughn found this opportune moment of distraction and kicked the man in his knee, allowing him to wrestle him to the floor. He put him in a headlock and tightened his grip around the man's neck. The man continued to fight fiercely, ripping Vaughn's shirt as he gasped for air.

Vaughn looked at Ryan, who gave him a hand signal that he would allow him to escape. Vaughn quickly pinned the man against the wall and kicked him hard as he could in the crotch. The man squirmed and fell to the floor in terrible pain.

Vaughn took this opportunity to escape. He ran out of the cell and stopped at the doorway to thank Ryan. "Thanks man" Vaughn said.

Ryan smiled. "You're lucky to get away from him with just cuts and bruises…it could have been worse…"

Vaughn glanced down and noticed that the front of his shirt was ripped open and there were scratch marks on his muscular chest. He examined his arms and noticed cuts and bruises that were bleeding a little and starting to sting.

"Yeah I know…Vaughn began, do you know why Josie and I are here?"

Ryan bit his lip and sighed before answering. "I'm not sure about the whole story, but from what I know, there's a plot to **permanently **get rid of you and Josie…"

A knot formed in the pit of Vaughn's stomach. He was even more afraid now that he found out that he and Josie's lives were in grave danger. "What is this place? Who wants us gone?"

Ryan glanced around the hall and lowered his voice to a soft whisper. "This whole building is a lab corporation…we're actually in the bowels of the building, underground, where top secret projects are initiated. As for the person who wants you gone its…"

Suddenly, the grimy man began to struggle to stand. "Ryan! Ryan you bastard! Get him!" he yelled, wincing in pain.

Ryan quickly blocked the door so the man would not catch Vaughn. "Try to get out of here please! Don't let him catch you!" he warned frantically. "I'll try to help you two get out of here when I get away from this asshole. I'll come find you later and tell you more. Please just go! Hurry!"

Vaughn nodded his head and ran away, not daring to look back. "I gotta go find Josie fast before someone else does!" He said under his breath as he ran down the dark, desolate hallway. After he had been running for ten minutes straight, he ran inside an empty broom closet. He went to the back of the closet and sat down against the wall. He gasped as the coldness of the wall stung his bruises. "Ouch! Shit that stings! He whispered angrily as he sat away from the wall.

Outside of the door, he could hear footsteps running in the hallway. "Maybe it's Josie"! He whispered, but to his dismay, he heard the familiar voice of his attacker, cursing and whining in pain. _"That son of a bitch! I'll kill'em when I find 'em! Ryan you dumbass why didn't you catch him! Wait till I tell the boss what you've done! I would've thought you could have taken him since you wrestled in high school_!"

Ryan's voice could be heard in the background yelling harshly, in his defense. "_Sorry boss! But he was just too strong for me_!" He said sarcastically.

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped in front of the door. Vaughn's heart began to pound violently in his chest. "Wait a minute, the grimy man said, he could be hiding in this broom closet right now!"

"No! Wait!" Ryan exclaimed. He knew that either Vaughn or Josie could be in there hiding, but wasn't sure. He did not want either of them getting caught. He stood in front of the door, preventing the man from opening it.

The man looked at him strangely. "Ryan what the hell are you doing? Get outta my way!"

"No! Do you _really_ think he would be hiding in here? It's too easy to get caught. Let's check somewhere further from here."

The man rolled his eyes at him and backed away from the door. He then stepped closer to him and pointed his finger in his face. "You'd better be right or else…" he threatened as he walked slowly in pain down the hallway.

Ryan waited a few moments at the closet door until the man was out of sight. He leaned into the door and whispered. "If this is Vaughn or Josie…please try not to hide in any of the closets in the hallway…the safest place is to hide inside of a closet inside of a room…I'll look for you later and find you soon! Be safe!" He said as he ran to catch up to his maimed partner.

Vaughn sat quietly as he tried to calm his heartbeat. He was very surprised that Ryan would help him and Josie…but he couldn't think of as to why Ryan would want to protect them. "Maybe he knows us from somewhere?" Vaughn thought. After a few moments of trying to figure out Ryan's identity, the answer finally dawned on him. "Wait a minute! That guy mentioned that Ryan was a wrestler and there used to be a guy on the wrestling team name Ryan Channing before I attended Blake Holsey. Could this be the same person? No…it can't be…that guy disappeared a long time ago! There's only one way to find out…but first I have to get out of this closet…"

**So how did you like it? I'm kind of leery on how I ended this chapter, but more questions will be answered and there are many new surprises ahead! I already have 12, 13, and some of 14 written out! We're almost to the end of our journey! So once again, I thank you guys for reading and on rare occasions, reviewing! So you know what to do! Rate and review!**


	12. The Promise

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Like I promised, here's chapter 12! This chapter is a continuation of Chap 11 but not so much excitement in here. There's more to come so enjoy! P.S. I had to improvise on the page breaks, I don't think it's working when I upload my story.**

Back at Blake Holsey, the remaining members of the science club were sitting in Corrine and Josie's room. It was now 10:45pm, 15 minutes until curfew began. Lucas sat on Josie's bed while Marshall sat next to Corrine, who was crying heavily, on her bed. Z stood at the front of the room, lost in thought. Everyone felt frustrated and helpless, not knowing what to do or where to start.

"Alright guys…" Z spoke up first, breaking the silence. "It's almost time for curfew and I wanted to tell you what I've come up with for our plan of action…."

Marshall, Corrine, and Lucas perked up and listened intently to Z's plan.

"Since we obviously can't do anything tonight, this is what we will do tomorrow. I know it's hard to focus right now on anything else, so I want you guys to continue on with life as though nothing has happened.

Lucas stood up angrily. "Professor Z, you _can't_ be serious…how do you expect us to ignore the fact that Josie and Vaughn are missing?"

"Let me finish Lucas…" Z said sternly. "I will inform Victor Pearson tomorrow morning that Josie and Vaughn are missing…"

"Z why? He might tell Durst and then the whole school will know…" Marshall complained.

"For one thing it's his right as a parent to know what has happened to his son and another thing; I don't think he will say anything to Durst. I'll tell him that **we** will find them... just like we did when we rescued Josie from the alternate timeline…"

"But how can he help us? He sure as hell doesn't know who abducted them or know where they are." Corrine asked sobbing."

"I'm sure he doesn't know what happened or who could have taken them, but he will be able to give us some clues as to where we should start…and besides, he's not the mean, cynical man everyone perceives him to be. Believe it or not, he actually cares about the welfare of all the students here, especially you guys."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "So you mean to tell me that he's actually concerned about us? I would think the only reason why he would care is because we saved his ass from Avenir. Give me a break…" Lucas said skeptically.

Z rolled his eyes at Lucas. "I'm sure it's not just that, he actually cares for you guys because you are Vaughn's close friends."

Lucas glanced over at Z in disbelief. "Whatever" he whispered under his breath.

"Lucas we'll debate about this later on, but for now, follow my plan…whatever you do, don't lead the other students and Durst on into thinking that something is up and that Josie and Vaughn are missing."

"Alright Z, fine, will do, but it's gonna be hard to keep _anything_ from Durst." Marshall agreed respectfully.

"Okay Z, as hard as it is, I'll try to act like everything's fine but I can't help crying" Corrine sobbed.

Z walked over to Corrine and knelt down in front of her. "Corrine, I know Josie is your best friend and you are concerned about her and Vaughn's life, but you have to trust me…we will get them back…"

"I know but I feel like it's my fault…I should have listened to her…"

Marshall wrapped his arm around Corrine and placed her head on his chest. "Please don't blame yourself…it's not your fault, you had nothing to do with what happened."

Z stood up and walked over to the door. "Guys before I leave I just want to tell you something…I may have to pull you out of your classes for the rest of the day…or for a few days. I don't think we'll be in Blake Holsey for the rest of the week."

"How are we gonna pull that off?" Marshall asked curiously.

Z shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure…but I know for a fact that it won't take us a day to rescue them, that's unrealistic. I'll just have to ask Victor to excuse us from classes and see what he says about where we should start searching."

Lucas sat quietly on Josie's bed, head resting in his palms and contemplating on how he would go about rescuing Josie and Vaughn. He clearly did not like how Z was allowing Victor Pearson to come up with a plan to rescue his friends. He had a gut feeling that Professor Z was missing something in his plan…answers from the janitor. Lucas glanced up at Z, who was about to leave the room.

"Hey Z wait, before you go, I have something to say…." Lucas began.

"Sure Lucas, shoot…" Z said smiling.

"I noticed that you never mentioned questioning the janitor again about all he knows as to why Josie and Vaughn were abducted…I remember you telling me in the library that we'll get him later…Is there a reason why you don't want to confront him now or are you waiting for later?"

Z was lost for words. He knew that Lucas was right. He knew that he was supposed to confront the janitor, but he was wary on how to confront him.

Z looked down at the floor and shuffled his glasses on his face.

"Well Lucas, you see, I figured that we would wait for the guilt to take its toll on the janitor's conscience. That would cause him to come to us first instead of us confronting him first."

Corrine, Lucas, and Marshall eyed Z in confusion.

Lucas furrowed his eyes and stood up. "Z out of no disrespect to you I, answer for all of us when we say what the hell kind of sense does that make? You yourself said we'd confront him and get him to talk. He knows everything and he's the key to helping us find where Josie and Vaughn are! We can't wait for him to break down and come to us first!"

"Yeah Z Lucas is right, it'll be stupid of us if we didn't force the janitor to tell us everything…we can't just ask Victor and that's it…he doesn't even know what has happened for God sakes!" Marshall said sternly.

Z rolled his eyes. He was contemplating on telling them the reason why he didn't want to approach the janitor first. "Okay guys, you've made your point…perhaps we should '_force_' him to talk but I like the pacifist approach better. I just feel that he will be reluctant to tell us all he knows if he comes to us on his own."

Lucas let out a frustrated sigh and eyed Z. "Come on Z, you gotta be kidding me…you know what, if you won't force him to talk, I sure as hell will! I'll make sure that son of a bitch tells us everything he knows…"

"Lucas no! You **cannot** do that…he might be dangerous!" I **do not** want him to do anything else to any of you guys! It's obvious that he's done something to Josie and Vaughn! Who knows, he could do something to you since you pinned him to the wall and threatened him." Z exclaimed.

"Z please, we need to get him to talk so that we will know where to look…" Marshall pleaded.

Corrine glanced over at Z and noticed that he was slightly shaking. "Z you're shaking, are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

Z glanced at her with sad eyes. "Yes I'm fine Corrine…I'm just…"

"You're afraid of him aren't you?" Corrine asked.

"No, I'm not afraid of him particularly…I'm just afraid of what he'll do to us…especially to you guys. I just feel that if we pressure him into talking, he may get mad and do something." Z said worriedly.

"To tell you the truth Z, I don't think he's capable of doing anything…But please Z, it makes more sense if we approach him first." Marshall spoke up.

Z breathed in a huge sigh of surrender. "Okay, tomorrow after I square everything away with Victor and he excuses us from classes, we'll confront the janitor. I just hope you're right…you guys are _my_ responsibility and I don't want to take any risks…" Z said solemnly. He glanced over at Lucas, who had sat back down and had his head buried in the palm of his hands.

"Lucas, promise me that you will **not** talk to him without us being present. If you see him in the halls tomorrow do not look at him or talk to him got it?" Z said sternly.

Lucas looked up at Z. "Yeah I promise…I won't do _anything_ until all of us are together," he replied snidely.

"Okay…guys try to get as much sleep as you can tonight…we have a very long day ahead of us tomorrow and for the next few days or so. Goodnight." He said as he turned and left the room.

Lucas, Corrine, and Marshall sat quietly for a few minutes, still emotionally sore and in some way relieved that they were _finally_ going to do something about this dangerous situation.

"So do you guys think that Z's plan will work?" Marshall asked, eyeing Lucas specifically.

Lucas sighed and sat back on the bed. "I don't know man…I'm kinda leery about how Z is carrying out his plan…I mean how do you not want to interrogate the key person first, who clearly knows what the hell happened…it doesn't make sense to me…"

"It's like what Z said, he's afraid of how the janitor might react to confrontation. He wants the janitor to feel so guilty that he comes to us first." Corrine said reassuringly.

"Well maybe so, but if it were up to me, I would have made that bastard spill everything he knows when we were in the library with him…you know what? I should go find him now! Lucas said as he began to walk to the door."

Marshall stood up quickly and blocked the door. "Now Luke you heard what Z said, the man could be dangerous…something could happen to you next! Please! We don't need three people missing or worse!"

Lucas sat back down and calmed himself. "Sorry man… it's just that it's happened again right under our noses…we can't let this happen again…it has to end. The longer we wait for him to come to us first, the more danger Josie and Vaughn will be in."

Marshall sat next to Lucas and patted him on the back. "I know buddy, but please, be patient, we're going after him tomorrow and Josie and Vaughn will be back here safe and sound."

Lucas glanced over at the clock. "It's almost 11. Let's go before Durst catches us in here." Lucas said as he walked over to the door.

Marshall turned to Corrine. "Are you gonna be okay?" He asked as he wiped a tear from her eyes.

"No, please stay with me tonight Marshall…you can sleep in Josie's bed.

Marshall widened his eyes as a nervous grin spread across his face. "Sure, but wait 'till Durst's patrol is over, then I'll come back in here." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead and left the room.

Like clockwork, Durst knocked on the door and opened it. "Lights out" she bellowed as she peered into the room.

"Where's Ms. Trent?" she asked curiously.

Corrine froze for a moment. She couldn't think of anything to say. "Oh uhh…she's in the bathroom."

Durst eyed her with suspicion, but decided to take Corrine's word. "Okay goodnight" she said as she closed the door.

"Phew that was close," she said as she began to fix Josie's bed for Marshall.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was now 11:15 pm, Corrine patiently waited for Marshall to sneak in. At that same moment, she heard her door creak open, and smiled when she saw Marshall come in.

"Hey," he whispered as he sat on Corrine's bed and gently kissed her on the lips.

"I'm so glad you're here" Corrine yawned. "It's been one hellish day huh?"

"Yeah, tell me about it, but at least tomorrow, we start our search…" Marshall said as he stood up.

Corrine got under the covers and placed Marshall's hand in hers. "Thanks for being here, I don't think I could get through this without you."

Marshall smiled and kissed her on the lips. "No problem, now get some rest, we got a long day ahead of us."

He walked over to Josie's bed to lie down. They both stared off into the darkness, contemplating on the day's events.

Marshall sighed and turned over on his side facing Corrine. "Corrine are you awake?" he whispered.

"Yeah…I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. I have too much on my mind. What's up?" Corrine replied as she shifted over to her side to face him.

"I was just wondering about something…what is this _phantom_ thing the janitor was talking about?"

Corrine sighed uncomfortably as she began to answer Marshall. "From what Josie told me it's some type of person dressed in black with no face. She told me she had seen it in the movie we were watching and also in her dream and standing over there by the door."

Marshall widened his eyes as he cautiously turned his head to look over at the door where Corrine was pointing. He was afraid that the phantom would be standing in the darkness and grab them, too. "Wow…he finally said, so only she saw this thing? I wonder why we didn't see it?"

"See that's what I've been trying to figure out. Why did _she _only see it? We were all in the same room watching the movie. Hey I wonder if Vaughn has seen it too?" Corrine suggested.

"I'm not sure, but he was acting kind of weird this morning when he came out of his room. I'm sure if he had seen it, he would have said something…but why would both of them go missing at the same time?" Marshall asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think that this figure or whatever the hell it is only grabs someone if he has seen it…" Corrine said yawning.

Marshall lay frozen with fear, afraid to turn away from Corrine, who was drifting off to sleep. "Hey Corrine?"

"Yes Marshall?"

"Do you think we're only up against this thing or do you think it's more people involved?"

"I'm not sure, but I have this feeling that Josie and Vaughn's lives are in danger and if we don't find them soon, well…"

"Please don't think like that, we'll get them back safe before anything happens." Marshall said as he fought back tears.

"You're right sweetie…" Corrine said softly. "Hey Marshall? Can you lay with me in my bed? I kind of scared myself by talking about the phantom thing . You can go back to Josie's bed when I fall asleep…"

Marshall widened his eyes as a huge smile spread on his face. "Sure!…I mean sure, whatever you want…" he said, trying not to sound too eager. He got up and lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. After a few moments, they both drifted off into a deep sleep, with thoughts of Josie and Vaughn on their minds.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Josie continued to run through what seemed like a maze of hallways. She was careful with every step she took, making sure that no one would find her.

"Vaughn where are you?" she whispered to herself. "I hope you're safe." As she turned the corner, she noticed someone standing with his back turned down the hall from far away.

He was somehow shaped like Vaughn. "Wait a minute that is Vaughn! Vaughn!" Josie exclaimed.

She ran over to the figure and continued to yell Vaughn's name. "Vaughn! I'm so happy to see you! Vaughn! _Vaughn_?" she said as she stopped running.

As she got closer to the person, she realized too late that it wasn't Vaughn. "Oh shit!" she said as she slowly backed away. "You're not Vaughn you're…"

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on the back of her head. "What's happening?" she said groggily as she slowly fell to the floor. Darkness filled the room as she tried to focus her eyes on the figure that was standing over her. "Vaughn help me…" she whispered as she slipped into unconsciousness.

**Well, that's chap 12! I know you're anxious as to what's happened to Josie and how they are going to save Josie and Vaughn! Chap. 13 and 14 are coming up soon! Thank you guys for reading and reviewing! So if you have not done so, please please please, rate and review so that I will know if I'm going the right way with this fic! Thank you! **


	13. Drop The Bomb

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Here's chapter 13! I know it's been a few days but I am also busily writing another fic for Pirates of the Caribbean! So if you're a fan of the movie, check that fic out too! Read and enjoy! **

It was now 7:30am. Professor Z ascended the steps of Victor Pearson's mansion, tightly clasping the leather folder in his hand. He took a deep breath and fixed his suit and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, Victor opened the door with a slight smile.

"Professor Zachary. This is an awkward surprise. Aren't you supposed to be preparing for class?"

Z frowned and took in another deep breath. "Yes Mr. Pearson, but I came to tell you something about Vaughn."

Victor widened his eyes and paused. "Please come in" he said as he motioned him inside his office. "So what's this about Vaughn?" Is he failing science or his other classes?"

Z lowered his head and frowned. "No... I'm afraid it's much more serious than that."

Victor shifted uneasily in his chair. "Okay then, tell me."

"Sir I hate to tell you this but…yesterday evening Vaughn and Josie disappeared…"

Victor sat back in his chair silent and withdrawn for a few moments. "What do you _mean_ disappeared? He and Josie could have snuck off somewhere into town late last night."

"No I don't think so…" Z stated. "There were witnesses who said that they had seen Josie and Vaughn studying all evening in the library. We believe that they were taken away when they were in the library."

"How would someone abduct them _inside_ the school without someone noticing them coming in through the doors of the building?" Victor asked irritated.

"Well, we believe that whoever took them came from a vortex inside the library. Corrine and Marshall said that they had seen a bright light coming from the library."

Victor widened his eyes. "A vortex in the library? That can't be plausible. I thought that the only vortex in the school was in Professor Middleton's office."

"Well, apparently sir, there are a lot more mysteries in this school that haven't been solved. Do you have any idea who could have taken them and why?" Z asked curious.

Victor rested his head in his palms. "No. I don't know. I thought all of this was over…first Avenir wanted to take over my plans and use it for his own selfish pleasure and now this…"

Z sat quietly in his chair as he allowed Victor to compose himself. "Sir I have to show you something that I found yesterday evening…" he said as he placed the leather folder on the desk.

"What's this?" Victor asked curiously as he opened the folder.

"This is something Professor Middleton had before he disappeared. The folder was hidden between a bookshelf in the science room. I also found confidential papers inside about the school and also this letter he had written to you." Z said as he handed Victor the letter.

Victor read the letter slowly and silently, frowning at every word. He suddenly slammed the paper on his desk. "I can't believe him…how could he? The nerve of that man…" Victor growled under his breath.

"Mr. Pearson do you know what Middleton was talking about?" Z asked carefully.

"Yes and no…but I'll explain later, but for right now my only concern is getting my son and Ms. Trent back safe and sound. If you don't mind I'll be holding onto this folder for further analysis." Victor said as he closed the folder.

"Sure no problem. What do you suggest we do about locating the whereabouts of Josie and Vaughn?"

Victor paused for a moment as grief continued to hit him in the chest. "We have to keep this quiet. I will not tell Amanda about all of this. I do not need students and parents finding out about this. I want you and the science club to rescue them. I know you can do it because you've done it before."

"I think we're going to have to miss classes for a few days." Z said as he listened intently to Victor.

"That's fine. I will excuse you for however long you need. This is what I will do. I will tell Principal Durst that I have granted you and the science club permission to take a trip out of town for an annual science convention. I want you and your students to quickly do what you can and find them immediately. Please do not hesitate." Victor said with sternness and desperation in his voice.

"Where should we start looking?" Z asked.

"Go through the vortex in your office…if you need help, ask the janitor. I know he has more knowledge of this school and vortexes than I do."

Z swallowed a hard lump in his throat. He was not sure if he should tell Victor that the janitor knew many more things besides his expertise on vortexes. The janitor knows where Josie and Vaughn were...or does he? He immediately shook this thought from out of his head and decided not to say anything. "Okay Mr. Pearson. I'll inform my students and we'll start our search." He said as he stood up and walked over to the front door, with Victor following close behind him.

Z turned around to shake his hand. "Don't worry Mr. Pearson, we'll get them back, you have my word."

Victor forced a smile, trying to conceal his pain. "I know you will Professor Zachary, you've never let me down."

With those last words Z turned and descended the steps of the mansion, and was on his way to find the remaining members of the science club.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Corrine, Marshall, and Lucas were sitting in the cafeteria eating breakfast. It was now 8:30am, a half-hour before the start of classes. Lucas looked up from his bowl of soggy frosted flakes and noticed the janitor sweeping at the far side of the room. Corrine and Marshall frowned at Lucas wearily.

"Hey man what's wrong with you?" Marshall inquired concerned.

Lucas continued to stare at the janitor, ignoring Marshall's question. Marshall and Corrine turned to see what Lucas was staring at and noticed the janitor.

"Lucas don't even think about it!" Corrine warned. "Stop staring at him before he notices!"

Marshall snapped his fingers in front of Lucas, trying to snap him out of his hypnosis.

Lucas finally removed his glare off of the janitor and glanced at Corrine and Marshall. "Sorry guys. I almost went crazy there for a moment."

"You've always been crazy." Marshall retorted under his breath snidely.

"Lucas please listen to what Z said. We have to wait until we're _all_ here so that we can get him _together_." Corrine pleaded sternly.

"Chillax Corrine, alright. I'm not going to do anything…." Lucas replied, rolling his eyes.

At that same moment, Professor Z walked into the cafeteria with relief and anxiousness written all over his face. "Hey guys." He said quietly.

"Hey Z so what happened with you and Pearson?" Marshall asked.

Z explained to them every detail of the conversation that he and Victor had. "And Victor will tell Durst in a few moments that we are going on a so-called trip" and will not be back for a few days."

"Do you think she'll buy that?" Corrine asked.

"Who knows but it's a good excuse and we don't know how long we'll be gone." Z replied.

"So did you tell him about the janitor and his supposed involvement in all of this crap?" Lucas asked sarcastically.

Z rolled his eyes and sighed. "No Lucas as a matter of fact I chose not to tell him anything about the janitor because it's still uncertain whether or not he's directly involved. But Victor did say to ask him about going through the vortex in my office..."

Lucas rolled his eyes and looked away from Z. He did not say anything else because he didn't want to cause any more arguments or strife amongst the four of them.

"Z that sounds like a good plan, so when are we going to start looking?" Corrine asked.

"As soon as possible Corrine, preferably after our interrogation of the janitor." Z replied.

"Well we're wasting time sitting here let's go!" Marshall suggested enthusiastically.

"Wait, we have to find the janitor first." Z said.

Corrine, Marshall, and Lucas all turned around and motioned to Z that the janitor was standing in the corner of the room. Z looked up and noticed that the janitor was about to leave.

"We'd better hurry Z, our suspect is leaving." Lucas said as he stood up. "We gotta get him now before he wanders off somewhere."

Z was hesitant at first, but then complied with Lucas' suggestion. "Come on guys lets go!" He said as he headed towards the janitor.

Corrine and Marshall glanced nervously at each other as they stood up. Lucas, on the other hand, was fearless and walking closely behind Z. He turned around and noticed Corrine and Marshall lagging behind. "Come on guys pick up the pace! You heard the man! Let's get this bastard!"

They all walked out of the cafeteria in a single line, with Z leading the way. The janitor was oblivious that there were people hot on his trail. Z made sure that they maintained a safe distance from the janitor, for fear of his reaction to the chase. A few moments later, the janitor turned the corner and opened the door to the basement. Z stretched out his arms , stopping his students behind him.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face them. "Okay gang, he just went into the basement…"

"Well what are we waiting for let's get him!" Lucas said as he tried to push himself past his friends, but Z held him back.

"No Lucas, we don't want him to realize that he was being followed. I will go down first and you guys better stick close behind me…there's no telling what we'll find down there."

After a few seconds, the science club, with Z leading the way, quietly walked over to the basement door and opened it. It was abnormally dark and dreary, as if something sinister lived in its depths. With every step they took down the stairs, they made sure they held on closely to each other.

Z turned around one last time and quietly whispered to his students. "Okay, this is it…whatever happens no one gets left behind…we must all stick together."

With those last words, they noticed the janitor standing off in the distance, with his back facing them. Z quietly approached him, uncertain as to how he would react to the impending interrogation…"

**Well, that's chap 13! How do you like it? I know you're anxious as to what's ahead but be patient! I won't leave you in suspense for very long! Chapter 14 is coming up in a few hours and your questions and concerns will be answered. Thank you guys for reading and reviewing! Thank you! **


	14. Revelations

**A/N: Here's chapter 14! Read and enjoy!**

Josie lay motionless and helpless on the floor. It was a few minutes before she awakened from her slumber. She struggled to sit upright, still dizzy from the blow to her head. When she rubbed the back of her head, she noticed that there was a small knot on her scalp.

"Ouch" she winced. She removed her hand and noticed a little blood on her fingers. "I'm gonna beat the hell out of the person who did this to me!" she said angrily.

She glanced around the room and noticed that it was different, but weird. The walls, ceiling, and the floor were all lined with large white pillow tiles. Everything was soft and comfortable, but freaky at the same time. There were no windows in the room, but there was a dim light in the ceiling.

"Where am I?" she whispered under her breath. "Where's Vaughn? I hope they didn't catch him either!"

As she stood up, she fell back down onto the soft floor. "I gotta get out of here. There must be a trap door in here somewhere." She said as she scooted herself up and searched the room.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vaughn continued to wander aimlessly down the dimly lit hallways. With every passing footstep and voice he heard, he immediately took refuge in closets or behind tall cabinets, careful not to get caught.

"Damn this place is huge. It's gotta be a mile long! I feel like I've been walking forever." Vaughn whispered to himself.

As he walked around a corner, he spotted a familiar figure standing down the hall. Startled, Vaughn jumped back and hid behind a wall. He waited a few seconds and peered around the corner and realized that it was the figure that captured him and Josie. He continued to stare at it for a few moments, trying to determine who or what it was. Suddenly, the phantom turned towards Vaughn's direction and stared at him. For some reason, Vaughn was not afraid. He did not feel like he was in any danger. The figure moved a step closer and pointed at a doorway.

"It must be trying to tell me something." Vaughn thought as he stepped out of his hiding place. "What are you showing me?" he whispered loudly to the figure, but it continued to stand still, pointing at the door.

As he stepped closer to the figure, he reached his hand out to try and touch it. It slowly backed away and disappeared into thin air. Vaughn stood there in confusion and amazement. He walked carefully into the dimly lit room, making sure that there was no one watching him or waiting inside. As he stepped further inside, he noticed that the room was a large office. There were shelves full of books, science posters on the wall, and there was a desk cluttered with books and papers. Vaughn walked over to the desk to see what he could find. He immediately found a blueprint of a lab, hidden underneath some books .

"What's this Pearadyne?" he asked as he examined the blueprint closely. He then searched under the blueprint and found pictures of Blake Holsey School and more alarmingly, pictures of his parents.

"What the hell is this? Who has pictures of my parents?" Before he could investigate further, he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"Oh shit someone's coming…I gotta hide!" He glanced around the room and noticed a closet hidden far back in a dark corner. He quickly ran inside and closed the door.

As the footsteps approached the office door, Vaughn could hear faint mumbling coming from outside of the door. Suddenly someone opened the door and turned on the lights. Vaughn stood completely still, trying hard not to make any noise. The person walked over to the desk and sat down. Then another person came in the room and closed the door. After a few silent moments, a man's voice began to speak.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_I can't believe that I finally have Josie…I really hit the jackpot with catching Vaughn_." The man said jokingly. A woman's voice could be heard in the background laughing.

_I am very upset that they rescued Josie from the condemned Blake Holsey. She was **supposed **to stay there and rot! I tried to get rid of Vaughn too when he was stuck in the past. But no, she had to go rescue him! No one can stop me now! Victor Pearson doesn't know Vaughn and Josie are missing and he doesn't know who was the real culprit behind the Pearadyne explosion! He certainly doesn't expect it to be me!" _The man laughed cynically.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vaughn became enraged at what he had just heard. He had one nerve to bust out of the closet and beat the hell out of the man, but he couldn't risk being caught. He decided to calm down and stay inside the closet and listen to the conversation.

_ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

_It's so sad what they did to Avenir…he was a great colleague of mine…what a shame. But now, when Victor does find out about what's going on, he'll expect it to be Avenir again, not me!_" The man laughed hysterically.

"_Didn't you teach at Blake Holsey before?" A female voice asked_.

"_Unfortunately yes…" the man's voice replied. "For six years. I felt like I was wasting my time when Victor was getting all of the attention. He denied me the right to complete my project!"_

"_So what did you do?"_ The woman asked.

"_One day I faked my disappearance. I went through the vortex in my office. I knew where I was going because I had already found the location for this lab. I've been here before many times, unbeknownst to Victor. Those people are complete idiots back at Blake Holsey…including that fat dunce Principal Durst!"_

"_Yeah, they're all assholes in that school, especially that stupid science club_!" The female's voice said.

Vaughn widened his eyes and gasped. He recognized the woman's voice. "Hey wait a minute…her voice sounds familiar!"

"What was that?" The man asked.

"I don't know. It sounds like it came from over by the closet." The woman replied as she walked in the direction of the closet.

Vaughn froze in horror as he tried to hold his breath. He could hear the footsteps walking closer to the closet, rambling through the junk that was around the room.

"I don't see anything around here…" she said. "Maybe I should look in the closet."

Vaughn was now more horrified now than he had ever been in his life. He knew that if she opened the door, he would not live to see another day.

"Never mind that, lets go. It's probably a mouse or something." The man said as he got up and left the room. The woman removed her hand from the closet doorknob and left the room.

When the lights were turned off and the door closed, Vaughn took a huge sigh of relief.

"That was too damn close." He waited a few seconds to calm down before leaving his temporary sanctuary.

He crept out of the closet and glanced around the room and walked over to the desk. He noticed something disturbing. There were pictures of him and Josie and personal information about them. There was also a diagram of he and Josie's unique DNA and also school records that contained information about their career at Blake Holsey.

"How does he have all of this stuff about us? Who is he anyway?" At that same moment, his question was answered. He searched through the clutter on the desk and found a nametag that revealed the identity of his abductor.

"I can't believe this…Professor Middleton!" he gasped angrily. "So he's behind all of this…I gotta find Josie and tell her quick!" He quietly left the room and closed the door. He walked down another dimly lit hallway in hopes of finding Josie. When he walked around a corner, he came face to face with someone he did not expect to run into.

He gasped as he took a few steps back. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

**Here it is! Chapter 14! How did you like it? Now we all know who wants Josie and Vaughn eliminated! But there is more to come! A few chapters are left in this fic. Chapter 15 and 16 are coming up soon! Thank you guys for reading and reviewing! Don't forget to read my POTC fic Moonlight Rendevous! **


	15. Through the Rabbit Hole

**A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry that it took so long to post chapter 15! I was stuck on the last part at first so I had to take a break from tis fic. But in the meantime, I am also writing another fic for POTC called ManEater. The prologue and Chaps 1 &2 are posted! I am currently writing and will post only the prologue to my new BHH fic called Wayward Hearts. Chapter 1 will be posted later this month. I just want ot give you guys a taste of what to expect in that fic! I have to post it soon because this fic is almost finished! There's only a few more chapters left! Thank you for your patience! Read and enjoy! **

As Professor Z crept closer to the janitor, Lucas quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Z turned around and glanced at Lucas in confusion.

"Ow Lucas why did you yank me back like that! Are you crazy?" Z asked in an angry whisper.

"Professor Z you can't just sneak up on him like that. I mean look at him, he's standing there facing the wall like an idiot for God's sakes!" Lucas replied, in an irritated whisper.

As they continued arguing, the janitor began to do something weird. He grabbed a chair and sat down, and faced the wall. He was oblivious to the fact that the science club was spying on him from a few feet away.

"What the hell is he doing?" Marshall whispered.

"Seems like he's meditating or something…he's chanting some words." Corrine replied.

"Guys we're going to go over there to see what he's doing. Whatever you do, stay **behind** me." Z whispered, eyeing Lucas in particular.

They crept closer to the janitor and noticed that he was rocking back and forth, with his arms crossed over his chest. Z walked closer to him and gently tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me." He said in his normal voice, but the janitor kept chanting and rocking back and forth in his chair. Z glanced up at the science club with a puzzled expression on his face.

"What's wrong with him? He's breaking out into a sweat!" Corrine said, widening her eyes.

Lucas stepped closer to where Z was standing by the janitor. "Hey ! Hey! We want to talk to you! Snap out of it!"

Z moved Lucas off to the side. "Lucas please let me handle it. He won't talk to you if you're screaming into his ear! Excuse me can we TALK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT!" Z yelled, stressing his words in vain.

At that moment, the janitor broke out of his bizarre behavior and glanced up slowly at Z with sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…" he whispered.

Everyone stared at him in shock and confusion.

"Please tell me what happened to Josie and Vaughn." Z demanded politely.

"I didn't mean to, he asked me for their information."

"Who? What did you do? Tell us dammit!" Lucas yelled, trying not to shake the janitor.

Z gave Lucas a threatening glare, warning him not to do or say anything stupid. "Please _tell_ us what you did!" Z pleaded.

"I was told to send information about Josie and Vaughn over to the other side. I didn't want to. I was afraid for my life so I did it…Please you **must** rescue them…before it's too late…" The janitor pleaded worriedly.

"Who told you to give them information about Josie and Vaughn?" Z asked, widening his eyes.

"It was a former colleague who used to work for Victor Pearson a long time ago. He wants Josie and Vaughn gone because they are a threat to his plans."

"How could they be a threat to his plans when they don't know who the hell he is? That doesn't make any sense." Marshall retorted.

"It's a lot of things you don't know about Josie and Vaughn…They are different from the rest of you…and so am I." The janitor stated as he got up from his chair and faced the science club.

A deafening silence filled the room as everyone tried to comprehend the janitor's news.

"What? How are they different? What the hell are you talking about?" Lucas inquired, becoming frustrated.

"They have a unique form of DNA that is not found anywhere in the world. Their DNA turns to the left instead of to the right." The janitor replied.

"How do you know that?" Z asked, puzzled.

"I stole the printouts of their DNA off of your desk in the science lab. It was on the day your class performed the DNA experiment."

"So you were the culprit! I thought I lost those! You had no right to do that!" Z yelled angrily.

"I know professor Zachary and I am truly very sorry. You don't understand, I had to take it…my life was at stake."

"So you decide to put two innocent people's lives on the line to save your ass?" Lucas said angrily as he stepped closer to the janitor.

"Okay okay enough…" Marshall said as he pulled Lucas away from the janitor. "So tell us…exactly how are you different from us?"

"I'm not from this timeline. I'm from a place that is beyond this world…too far for you to even fathom." The janitor replied with a smile.

"So that's why you know so much…it all makes sense now." Corrine said as she stepped closer to him. "Tell me this, can you explain what was that ghost thing that abducted them?"

The janitor widened his eyes in horror. "It was a phantom, or something we call a shape-shifter. It's sent by people from distant timelines to kidnap or destroy anyone who may be a threat to them."

"Well how does it only appear to certain people and can come inside dreams and televisions?" Marshall asked.

"It can do whatever it wants. It's neither human nor animal. It's a figment of everyone's nightmares or fears. It can only be controlled by people who have grudges towards another person. It can also be used for payback or torture, depending on the circumstances. Not much is known about it"

"What circumstances do you mean?" Marshall asked, worriedly.

"It could either abduct the person, or kill the person, depending on what the sender wants it to do." The janitor replied eerily.

"Please tell us where it took them." Z pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you. They could be anywhere in the timeline." The janitor replied falsely and lowered his head, for he knew where they were taken.

Lucas walked back over to the janitor and stared him in the face. "Look dammit, now I've been too patient with you. Two innocent people's lives are at stake! Don't you get it! You're the only one who can help us! Please…just point us in the right direction. The man or whoever put you up to this won't know you told us! Please…help us!"

The janitor stood silent for a moment and walked over to his desk. "Alright, I'll tell you. You can't go through the vortex in the science office. You have to go through the one down here. It's the safest way."

The science club glanced around the basement in confusion.

"Where's the vortex?" Marshall asked, frowning.

"It's right here." The janitor replied as he pointed to the wall. Placing his finger on the wall, he drew an invisible straight line all the way down to the floor. A bright magnetic light began to emit from the open space in the wall.

"This is the way. It will take you to where you need to go. The other vortex will not lead you there because this place is blocked and can only be accessed by the people who have been there. Please hurry, there's no time to waste. This is not like last time. Josie and Vaughn's lives are at stake. This person is dangerous and he will not hesitate to get rid of you, or even kill you…" The janitor warned as he eyed everyone seriously.

Marshall and Corrine grabbed tightly onto each other's hand as everyone huddled by Z.

"Okay gang, this is it. We must stick together. We cannot split up, it's too dangerous." Z stated.

"So Z do you believe what he's telling us?" Lucas asked as he eyed the janitor.

Z rolled his eyes. "Yes Lucas I do. He's laying his life on the line for us…he wasn't supposed to tell us anything. Now stop it and come on!"

As they all approached the vortex, hand in hand, Lucas broke away from the chain and walked over to the janitor. "I hope you're not tricking us or…"

"Lucas come on! Leave him alone!" Marshall yelled angrily.

"Please Lucas, you must trust me! I can really be killed for helping you! I'll leave the gateway open for you all to get back here safely. Don't worry, I'll be alert for any threat that may come here." The janitor pleaded with sincerity.

Lucas then walked over to where his friends were standing and grabbed Marshall's hand.

"Please go **now** before it's too late!" The janitor yelled.

"Ready gang, let's go!" Z shouted as he stepped through the vortex first, holding Corrine's hand.

As they proceeded through the vortex, Lucas was the last to step through. He turned around and noticed the janitor smiling sweetly at them, waving goodbye. "I hope we're going the right way." Lucas thought as the vortex closed behind him.

With lightning quick speed, the vortex opened up and spat them onto the ground. Z stood up quickly and brushed the dirt off his clothes. He then glanced up and turned around in awe.

"What is this place?" he whispered under his breath.

There was nothing but tall trees and open space that surrounded them. The area seemed very desolate and unwelcoming.

"Ouch! My leg hurts!" Marshall complained as he lay face down on the ground. "It feels like something heavy is laying on top of me." He turned around and noticed that it was Lucas lying on top of him.

"Uh, Lucas...you might want to get the hell off of me! You're breaking my legs!"

Lucas quickly stood up and held out his hand to help Marshall stand. "Sorry man, I didn't know that was you I was on top of. Do you want me to kiss it and make it feel better?" He asked teasingly, as he laughed hysterically.

Marshall rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and why don't you kiss my ass while you're at it!"

Corrine glared at Lucas and Marshall. "Guys come on, there's no time for that right now. Stay focused!"

"Wow! Where are we?" Marshall asked as he stepped closer to Z.

"I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that this is where Josie and Vaughn were taken." Z replied.

"What timeline are we in?" Corrine asked as she scanned the area.

"It's too hard to tell…we could be anywhere. Come on guys let's start walking. We can't waste any more time." Z stated. With those last words, the science club began their trek through the seemingly endless path of dense woods.

After what seemed to be two hours of walking, they began to notice that something was not right.

"Oh no…weren't we here before?" Corrine asked worriedly.

"I don't think so. Our starting point was all the way back in that direction." Z said confidently as he pointed in the direction they came.

Lucas walked over by Corrine and noticed a giant rock that rested against a tree. "Hey guys…I think Corrine's right. Look." He said as he pointed to the rock. He noticed that it was the same rock where he had etched his name onto the surface. "See…it says _Lucas was here_. I wrote it the first few minutes we got here, as a marker in case we got lost.

"Oh no…don't tell me. You mean to tell me that we've been walking in circles for the past two freakin' hours!" Marshall whined.

Worry and frustration began to well up inside everyone.

"Don't panic guys, I'm sure we just took a wrong turn that's all. There's nothing to panic about. Marshall, try to calm down." Z said as he pulled out his compass from his pocket.

As he took a few steps away with the compass in the palm of his hand, he noticed that something was terribly wrong. The compass needle would not point in the right direction. The needle was spinning around erratically as if it was broken. He desperately tapped the compass to make it stop spinning, but to no avail.

Lucas noticed Z struggling with the compass and eyed him curiously. "Uh Z, is everything okay?"

Z hesitated for a moment before answering him. As he turned around to face them, they noticed by his bewildered expression that something was wrong.

"Guys, I don't know how to tell you this but, I'm afraid my compass isn't working." Z said worriedly.

"What do you **mean** it isn't working? Are you shittin' us Z?" Marshall asked confused, flaring his nose.

Lucas then grabbed the compass from Z's hand and shook it around. "No Marsh, he's serious. It doesn't work."

Everyone stared at each other in disbelief as fear began to creep up unside them.

"So you mean to tell me we're…" Corrine began.

Z lowered his head somberly and sighed. "Yes Corrine. I'm afraid we're lost…"

**So how was it? Thank you once again for reading and reviewing! Chapter 16 is coming up soon! Please check out my other fics! Take care! Until we meet again...**


	16. Only Shadows Ahead

**A/N: Sorry for the wait guys! I know you have been patiently waiting to see what happens! Here is chapter 16! I had to cut this chapter down into 2 because it was too long, so chapter 17 is a continuation of this chapter, but more things happen in chapter 17! So I hope you all like both chapters and PLEASE REVIEW! Wayward Hearts will start going strong in October! So read and enjoy!**

"Hey Vaughn, miss me?' A female's voice uttered as she stepped out of the darkness.

Vaughn widened his eyes in shock when he realized who it was. "Madison? What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Madison grinned and stepped even closer to Vaughn, backing him up against the wall. "Never mind that, we're all alone now, you can't escape from me like you always do in school."

Vaughn rolled his eyes as he moved her away from him. She quickly stepped right back in front of him and grinned insanely.

"Madison stop it! There's no time for this! We gotta get outta here!"

"Oh is that so?" Madison sneered as she pushed Vaughn against the wall and roughly pressed her lips against his.

Vaughn immediately pushed her away and wiped his mouth with his hand in disgust. "Are you freakin' crazy? What the hell's the matter with you!"

Madison angrily stepped closer to him again and stood boldly in his face. "What's wrong Vaughn? Don't you like me? Why did you push me away? Is it because of that bitch Josie? You like her don't you!"

Vaughn stared at her as if she was insane. He stepped back as she continued to step closer to him with enraged madness in her eyes. "Madison come on, what's wrong with you! You know I don't like you so stop trying to push up on me!"

"Madison what's going on?" A voice from down the hall called out. Vaughn turned around and noticed Ryan walking towards them.

"Ryan, man am I glad to see you! Can you help me find Josie so that we can get out of here?"

Ryan stood there stoic for a moment and stared at Vaughn and then glanced at Madison. Madison smiled at Ryan cunningly as she stepped closer to him.

"He thinks that our lives are in danger. I think we better help him and get out of here. Don't you think?" She stated snidely as she glanced at Vaughn.

Ryan wasn't sure of what he should do, so he decided to do what was safe, what was smart. "Come on, we gotta help him." He said as he grabbed Madison's arm and led her down the hall.

Madison pulled away from him and looked at him confused. "Ryan, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry about it! Let's just go!" Ryan whispered as he forced Madison to walk down the hall.

Vaughn followed closely behind them until they finally stopped in front of a room. Madison turned to Ryan and smiled at him wickedly, giving him the hint that she was about to do something terrible.

"Hey Vaughn quick! Hide in this room! I think someone's coming!" Madison yelled as she opened the door. Ryan reluctantly helped Madison push him into the dark room, closing and locking the door behind him.

Vaughn fell down hard onto the cold floor, severely scraping his arms against the rough surface. He glanced down at his elbows and noticed that they were bleeding. He quickly stood up and glared at Madison and Ryan.

"What the hell are you guys doing? Hey let me out of here!"

"You're not going anywhere." Madison retorted coldly as she stepped closer to the door window.

Vaughn gave Ryan a bewildered look. Ryan turned his head away from Vaughn's stare.

"Ryan…" Vaughn muttered.

Madison grabbed Ryan and kissed him feverishly on the lips. "See Vaughn, this could have been you, but no, you continued to reject me and now look at you! You're stuck in this pissy cell all alone…with no one to help you…not even that short ass skank Josie!"

"Where is she? What did you do to her?" Vaughn yelled as he tried to break the metal door down.

"Oh…don't worry about her…she's somewhere you can't find her!"

"Why are you guys doing this?" Vaughn asked as he glared angrily at Ryan.

"We're just following Middleton's orders!" Madison replied maliciously.

Vaughn then realized who the female was in the office with Middleton. "It was you…" He whispered under his breath.

"Let me out of here now!"

Ryan felt immense pressure starting to well up inside him. He desperately wanted to free Vaughn but he knew that he couldn't do it in front of Madison. He was afraid that Madison would turn him in, even though he was her boyfriend.

Madison walked over to the door and glowered at Vaughn through the window. "Sorry Vaughn, but I have to go…I can't have you and Josie ruin Middleton's plans. And to think I actually had a huge crush on you. You're pathetic…you're not even all that cute!" She said teasingly as she blew him a kiss and walked away.

"Bitch" Vaughn growled under his breath as he watched her saunter down the hallway.

Ryan soon followed behind her, but did not dare make eye contact with Vaughn.

"Thanks a lot man…" Vaughn yelled as he frowned at Ryan. Vaughn continued to stand by the door, staring helplessly out of the small window. "I can't believe this shit! I really thought he was on my side…I was starting to trust him! Now what am I gonna do?"

* * *

"There's gotta be a way out somewhere in here! Josie said as she continued searching her cell. Her headache had finally subsided and she was now able to stand up straight and walk around the room without any support. She tugged at every large pillow tile on the floor and wall, hoping they would reveal a trap door hidden behind the wall. She was about to give up hope when unexpectedly; out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed something sticking out of the corner of the wall. She quickly ran over to the back corner of the room and realized that one of the larger tiles was falling off. She carefully removed the heavy block and noticed that there was a dark tunnel behind it. 

"I wonder if this leads to somewhere." She whispered as she peered inside. "I guess I'll just have to find out." With a deep breath, she entered into the darkness of the escape tunnel. Her hands became cold and clammy as she pressed them against the smooth, cold floor.

"Why the hell is it so cold in here? It feels like I'm on top of a freezer or something."

The darkness grew deeper as she continued to crawl her way to freedom. Her eyes began to hurt from being in the intense darkness for so long. Suddenly, off in the distance, a dim, red light pierced through the dark tunnel.

"Finally a way out!" She quietly made her way to the end of the tunnel and noticed that it led to a small office. She carefully got out and searched the room, hoping to find evidence as to why her and Vaughn were brought to this strange, place. There were books sprawled everywhere on the floor and on the table. There were empty office desks pushed away in every corner of the room. She looked through some of the books and drawers to see if there was anything that could help her.

"Nothing…not a damn thing!" She whined disappointedly.

At the same time she was rummaging through the office, she heard footsteps and voices in the hallway. She quickly hid under a large office desk that was tucked away in the dark corner of the room. There was a small hole in the corner of the desk that allowed her to see who was coming through the door. As the door opened, Josie recognized the two people. It was Ryan and his short, grimy partner.

"Son of a bitch…" Josie uttered angrily in her head.

"I'm glad we finally caught that son of a bitch that got away." The grimy man snickered as he turned to face Ryan. "It's about time you did something right…your ass was about to be in real big trouble if that bastard would have gotten away. I was starting to think you were helping him."

Ryan frowned and shook his head angrily. "I still don't agree to what he's trying to do to them. They shouldn't even be here and you know it!"

"No one gives a shit about what you think! They're here for a reason and it's our job to help him get rid of them! So stop your whining and shut the hell up!" The grimy man said as he stepped closer to Ryan.

Ryan stepped back further into the room, eyeing his partner carefully.

"Where did you put that bastard anyway?" The grimy man asked.

Ryan hesitated before returning him an answer. "He's in the room at the far end of hallway 4B, the one that's isolated from everyone else."

"I should go in there and beat the shit out of him for what he did to me!" His partner retorted angrily as he headed to the door.

Ryan ran quickly over to the door to block him. "You're not going to do anything to him! Leave him alone…or else. He warned with a threatening tone.

"The man walked closer to him and looked fiercely into Ryan's eyes. "Or else what? What are you gonna do Ryan? Huh? I dare ya…"

Ryan turned his head from his partner's angry glare. He did not want to risk angering him even more and provoke him to harm Vaughn…or Josie.

The man smiled threateningly at Ryan and laughed. "I thought so. You know you'd better watch it or else I'll have the boss kill you too!" He warned as he walked out of the room.

Ryan stood in the doorway and watched his partner swagger down the hallway. Josie noticed that Ryan appeared distraught and a little teary eyed. She had one nerve to come out of her hiding place and console him, but she knew it would be too risky for the both of them.

"I gotta help them! I can't let anything happen to them! I don't care if I get caught…at least it will be worth it!" Ryan uttered in a defiant whisper as he headed down the hallway in the opposite direction of his partner.

Josie waited a few minutes before emerging from her haven. "I wonder where that hallway 4B is…maybe it's around the corner somewhere. I have to get Vaughn before that asshole gets to him first!" She quietly ran down the dimly lit hall in the direction of Vaughn's cell, hoping that she wouldn't get caught again.

After a few exhausting minutes, Josie came across a hallway that was brighter than all the others. There, on each side of the hall, were what seemed to be an endless number of rooms that had tiny windows on the doors. "This looks like some type of freak show…but I hope Vaughn's in one of these rooms." She sighed to herself as she glanced through each door. After ten minutes of searching, she came across a peculiar room at the very end of the hallway. This room was completely different and isolated from the others. It was very dark and hidden away in the corner, as if it contained a horrible beast inside.

"That's odd, why is this room separated from the others?" She thought as she tiptoed closer to the door and glanced through the small window. She noticed someone sitting in the corner with his head down resting in his palms.

Josie's eyes widened with excitement, for her search was now finally over. "Vaughn! Vaughn!" She yelled as she knocked on the door window.

Vaughn glanced up and ran over to the door. "Josie! I'm glad to see you're okay! How did you get out?"

"I escaped through a hole in my room! Hold on, I'm gonna get you out of here!"

"Josie be careful…someone might be around the corner…"

Just as Vaughn was about to finish giving his warning, Josie noticed someone stepping out of the shadows.

"Who's that?" She asked as she took two steps closer to the figure. Vaughn tried to see what Josie was watching, but the small window limited his vision. Josie finally stopped in her tracks when she identified the person walking towards her.

**So how was it? Very suspenseful chapter huh? Sorry about the long wait! So you guys know what to do! Rate and review! And then read chapter 17 next!**


	17. A Wall Between Us

**A/N: Here's 17! I hope you liked chapter 16 ! I hope you enjoy this chapter and REVIEW!**

"Madison? What are you doing here? I can't say I'm glad to see you here."

Madison ignored Josie's snide remark and stared at her with pure hatred. "And what do you think you're doing Trent?"

Vaughn was finally able to see who Josie was talking to and was angry to see that it was Madison. "Josie run! Don't talk to her…she'll get you caught! Please…run!" Vaughn yelled frantically as he banged on the window.

Madison glared viciously at Vaughn and then at Josie.

Josie stood frozen, unable to decide what to do. "What? What are you talking about Vaughn? What's going on?

"She's on _their_ side! She's working for Professor Middleton! He wants us _killed_!" Vaughn shouted desperately.

Josie widened her eyes and stared at Madison with suspicion.

Madison flashed her a sadistic smile as she stepped closer. "It's true…the reason why you're here is because Professor Middleton wants you and Vaughn gone…**permanently.**"

Josie stepped back and balled up her fist, ready to punch Madison if she dared to strike her first. "Why? What did Vaughn and I ever do to him? And why are you working for him?"

Madison smiled and rolled her eyes nonchalantly. "You're both here because your parents used to be involved with Pearadyne. Vaughn's father robbed Middleton of the recognition he deserved and your mother…well let's just say that he doesn't like your mom that much, so therefore he doesn't like _you_.

"I don't get it…my mom has nothing to do with Pearadyne anymore…" Josie replied.

"Well anyway, _you two_ are a threat to his plans so that's the reason why you are here and will never get out…" Madison retorted sarcastically.

Josie frowned at her in disbelief. "So tell me this…how did _you_ get here?"

"I came here on my own. I discovered the science club's _little secret_ black hole in Middleton's old office.

"How long have you known?" Josie inquired.

"A few days after Middleton disappeared." Madison retorted.

"Why the hell are you helping Middleton if this is between him and Victor? What, you don't have a life of your own to deal with? You don't have anything to do with them." Josie asked sarcastically.

"I do…you see Middleton was one of my favorite teachers at Blake Holsey. He's always let me get away with _anything_ in his class. When he disappeared, I was completely devastated and I knew that I had to do something to find him. So one day I snuck inside his office when no one was around and got sucked into the floor. I ended up here and Middleton told me his plight and I agreed to help him…"

"But I still don't understand why you would want to help him when you know he wants Vaughn and I killed. Josie said as she stepped up to Madison's face.

"Because…I don't like _you_…and I _especially_ don't give two shits about your little boyfriend over there either." Madison retorted as she glared angrily into Josie's eyes.

"Well, you're gonna have to fight me if you think I'm gonna allow you and Middleton to get rid of me and Vaughn." Josie said as she clenched her hands tighter into a ball.

At that same moment, Vaughn noticed someone walking up behind Josie. As the person came closer, he noticed that it was the grimy man who harassed them earlier in the day.

"Oh shit…it's him! Josie watch out! He's behind you!" Vaughn yelled as he banged on the door, trying desperately to break it down.

Before Josie could turn around and fight, the man grabbed her by the arms and held her tightly.

"Ouch you're hurting me! Get off of me you bastard! She shouted as she struggled to get free.

"Get the fuck off of her! You piece of shit!" Vaughn yelled angrily as he continued to try to kick the door down.

Madison walked over to the door and eyed Vaughn menacingly. "Say goodbye to your little _girlfriend_."

At that same moment, the grimy man unexpectedly pulled out a needle and stuck it into Josie's neck.

Josie let out a soft gasp from the surprise of the needle penetrating her skin. Vaughn looked in horror over the scene as he noticed Josie's eyes closing and her limbs stop moving.

"Josie No!" Vaughn shouted from the top of his lungs. "What the hell did you do to her!"

Madison gave him an evil smirk as she lifted Josie's lower body and helped the man carry her away. Vaughn could barely breathe. He felt helpless and so weak that he couldn't break the metal door down to save her. "Josie!" He kept yelling as he continued to watch them carry her limp body down the dimly lit corridor. "Why couldn't you take me instead!" He shouted, but his cries fell on deaf ears, for there was no one around to hear him…let alone help him.

"What am I gonna do now? I gotta get out of here!" He stood at the door, gazing through the small window. A surge of anger and frustration caused him to kick and punch at the door violently to try to break it down, but it was of no use. "Dammit! He shouted angrily as he kicked the door once more and walked over to a corner of the cell.

As the minutes passed by slowly, Vaughn continued to pace back and forth, contemplating on how to get out, and thinking about what horrible things they may be doing to Josie. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard keys fumbling at the door. He quickly ran over to the far end of the corner so that he could have the advantage of surprising the intruder and escape. The door opened slowly and someone familiar called out his name.

"Vaughn! Vaughn! Are you in here man?"

Before he could answer, he was surprised to see that it was Ryan stepping into the room.

"Ryan! What the _hell_ are you doing here? You know I should kick your ass!" Vaughn said angrily as he approached him cautiously.

Ryan sighed and shook his head in remorse. "Look dude I'm sorry. I had to pretend that I was in on it or else Madison would have turned me in and then all of us would be really screwed. I know where they took Josie. Please just trust me…" Ryan replied apologetically as he extended his hand for Vaughn to shake.

Vaughn hesitated for a moment and glared at him. "How do I know if I can trust you again?"

Ryan stepped closer, and lowered his hand. "Because…I'm a close friend of your father's…"

Vaughn widened his eyes in shock. "You…you know my father? How?"

"Yes I do…come on. I'll have to explain on the way. We need to get to Josie before something else happens."

On that note, Vaughn and Ryan left out of the dark cell and walked cautiously down the deserted hallways.

"Where did they take Josie?" Vaughn asked as they turned the corner.

"I saw them take her up to the fifth floor. I noticed that she was unconscious." Ryan replied with sadness in his voice.

"I know. I was there when that asshole stuck her with a needle. Madison was there also. I was so pissed off with myself because I couldn't do anything to help her."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Vaughn. You did what you could. Luckily, it was just one of you and not the both of you that got caught or else there wouldn't be any chance of us escaping."

"Do you know what they injected her with? Vaughn asked worriedly.

"Some type of muscle relaxer…I just hope they didn't give her the more potent type because that could really kill her." Ryan replied somberly.

Fear welled up inside of Vaughn's heart. He did not want to think about the possibility of that being true and ultimately losing Josie forever.

"Come on, here's a secret elevator we could use". Ryan said as they ran down the hallway and walked into the elevator.

"So tell me…how do you know my father?" Vaughn inquired.

"When I used to attend Blake Holsey, I was on the wrestling team and I was involved in a lot of other things also. I was having a little bit of trouble in a few classes and with my parents. Your father used to counsel me on my personal issues with my parents and tutor me almost everyday. He really helped me out a lot. He also offered me an internship at Pearadyne, once he finished rebuilding the lab. He was the only one who cared and gave me another chance to prove myself to everyone…including myself."

Vaughn hesitated for a moment as he realized who Ryan was. "Hey you're Ryan Channing aren't you? You were the kid who led the wrestling team to win three championships in a row! You're a legend!"

Ryan smiled weakly. "Yeah…too bad I disappeared before I got a chance to graduate."

"My father has mentioned you once before and every time he seemed sad. I heard that they almost closed Blake Holsey when you disappeared."

"Yeah, and I think that I was the only student to ever disappear from that school." Ryan replied.

Vaughn turned to him with a serious frown. "You're not the only one who has disappeared…there's been others over the years but Durst covered it up. So tell me…how did you get here?"

Ryan took a deep breath and sighed. "It's kind of like a blur now. All I remember is that I was walking through the woods late in the afternoon when I noticed a bright flash off in the distance. I was curious to see what it was so I walked towards it and saw that the ground had opened up into an endless black hole. All of a sudden, I got trapped in a wind tunnel and fell through the hole and ended up here…I still don't know where here is…"

"Wow, so how did you end up working for Middleton?" Vaughn asked curiously.

"Well, when I got here, I was the only one who was here…so I thought, until I saw Middleton walking outside. He told me that he could help us get back to Blake Holsey, but I was wrong to trust him. I found out who he _really_ was. He's been devising this plan against Victor all along…I didn't want to go along with his plans and risk harming Victor or anyone else tied to him. Middleton threatened me specifically and told me that he knew I was close to Victor and had better do what he said or else I would be next…whatever that meant."

"So you've been a prisoner here all this time. I thought you worked for him like Madison and the other guy." Vaughn stated.

"No, I'm the only one who doesn't support what he's doing…and I know for _sure_ since he has you and Josie, he won't hesitate to get rid of me next." Ryan replied with a worried expression on his face.

"If you don't mind me asking, how the _hell_ did you end up with Madison?" Vaughn inquired, with a disgusted expression on his face.

"That's kind of a blur, too…" Ryan began jokingly. "I know I was here before her and I found her walking outside of the building. I thought she was hot at first, so I thought that maybe we could be close friends and maybe something else. She was the total opposite of what she is now…so I _thought_, until I found out that she was in this with Middleton. I was going to break up with her, but it was too risky because I knew she would do something underhanded against me. That's why I have to pretend to like her and make her think that I'm on their side."

Vaughn shook his head in sympathy. "I feel sorry for you…being with Madison must be the pits huh?"

"Yeah, and that's why I have to leave…not only because of her, but because I want to go back home and start my life over."

Just then, the elevator stopped and the door opened slowly. Ryan stepped out first and peered down the hall. "Okay we're here, come on."

This particular hallway appeared different from the other ones in the basement. The rooms were now labs that had large windows in front on the wall.

"What is this place?" Vaughn whispered in amazement.

"This is where more advanced secret projects are performed and where sick or injured employees are kept." Ryan replied as they continued to walk down the hall.

"I think Josie may be in one of these rooms." Ryan stated as he peered through the window of a dark room.

As Vaughn walked a few steps behind Ryan, he noticed something strange inside one of the rooms. He walked closer to the window and peered inside the dimly lit room.

"What the hell?" Vaughn whispered. Hey Ryan come here and look at this!" Ryan ran over to where Vaughn stood and peered inside.

"What's inside that canister? It looks like some sort of dismembered animal or something in there!" Vaughn whispered in disgust.

"It probably is…you see Middleton has some sort of genetic project he's working on and I think he's trying some sick shit where he can create some sort of monster by using different parts of animals." Ryan replied.

"He really is a sick asshole…I just hope he's not using it on humans." Vaughn retorted as he moved over to the next room.

As Vaughn continued to peer inside the dimly lit rooms, something caught his attention. "Hey Ryan look I think I see something else."

Ryan peered through the window and noticed something that made him nervous.

"What is it? It looks like someone is lying there on a table under that sheet." Vaughn asked.

"We should go in there and check." Ryan replied as he walked over to the door and turned the knob. "Dammit! It's locked!"

Ryan peered through one of the side windows that gave him a better view of the mysterious object. As he focused his eyes into the dark room, he made a horrifying discovery. "Oh shit…"

"What's wrong?" Vaughn asked him worriedly as he walked over to the door.

"Vaughn wait I don't think you want to see this…" Ryan said gravely as he tried to block his view.

"What? What's wrong? Let me see!"

Ryan reluctantly moved out of Vaughn's way and allowed him to look through the window. Vaughn's heart began to throb painfully as he continued to stare at the figure.

Lying on the table motionless under the sheet was a body, a female's body with red hair hanging down from the side of the table. She appeared lifeless and pale, but it was too dark to confirm Vaughn's worst nightmare.

"Oh no…please God _don't_ tell me…" Vaughn said as he beat his hand against the window. Ryan stood next to Vaughn and turned his face away from the horrific scene. He glanced over at Vaughn and placed his hand on his shoulder.

Tears began to well up in Vaughn's eyes. He could not believe what he was seeing. He let out a soft sigh and leaned his forehead against the window as a tear began to roll down his cheek. "Josie…"

**Sad huh? Well maybe they were successful in getting rid of Josie? Or maybe not? You'll just have to find out! Stay tuned for more! I will try not to take long to update because I am working on two other stories. POTC: ManEater and Wayward Hearts! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

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	18. When the World Comes In

**A/N Hey guys! Sorry for the long, long wait! But I'm back! This chapter is drawing near to the action! Only a few (maybe 3 hopefully) chapters to go! Don't worry! I will post chapter 1 of Wayward Hearts soon! So read and enjoy!**

"Oh God it feels like we've been walking for hours!" Lucas shouted in agony as he, Corrine, Marshall, and Z continued to wander aimlessly through the unfamiliar woods.

"I know. My legs are starting to cramp up and I'm getting tired. See Lucas, if you didn't fall on my damn legs they wouldn't be aching!" Marshall whined as he slowed down his pace.

Lucas looked over his shoulder and glared at Marshall with a snide smirk. "Whatever crybaby keep walkin'."

Corrine glanced over at Marshall, who was pouting and lagging behind Lucas. She shook her head impatiently as she walked over to him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Marshall let me help you walk. I don't want to take the chance of you hurting your legs even more and then you won't be able to walk. I hope you know that we are not gonna carry you." She said firmly with a smile.

Marshall widened his eyes in astonishment at Corrine's feistiness, which scared him in one way, but in another, turned him on. "Sorry Corrine, next time I'll make sure someone falls on my face next time so that my legs won't hurt and I'll be able to walk!" He snapped back with an attitude. Corrine glared at him and removed his arm from around her shoulder.

"Fine, since you have a little attitude. I won't help you walk then! I hope you break your ass next time!" Corrine said as she stormed off in front of him.

"Corrine wait! I didn't mean it that way!" Marshall yelled, but Corrine ignored him and continued to walk away. Lucas walked over to Marshall with a smirk engraved on his face and placed his hand on Marshall's shoulder.

"You've really done it now, buddy. You got your lady love mad, your legs are in pain, and now you have no one to help you walk." He said as he walked away from Marshall.

"Yeah, well it's all your damn fault you klutz!" Marshall yelled as he began to slowly limp his way over to Corrine.

While the whole fiascal with Corrine, Lucas, and Marshall was going on, Professor Z continued to walk a few feet in front of the group in silence as he desperately tried to read the broken compass. "Why won't you work?!" He grumbled as he shook the compass violently. After a few moments, Corrine, Marshall, and Lucas regrouped and noticed Z's desperation.

"What's wrong with him?" Marshall asked in bewilderment.

"I don't know...it seems like he's still trying to read that broken compass." Lucas replied as he stared puzzled at Z.

"Guys, we should help him…" Corrine suggested as she gazed sympathetically at Z.

"Yeah, we need to help him before he loses the rest of his mind." Marshall chuckled.

"What could we do? We can't fix the compass…" Corrine replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"I think I know how we can help him." Lucas said as he turned his gaze from Z and faced Corrine and Marshall. "Remember that time freshman year when we were lost in the woods and the compass flew out of my hands?"

"Yeah, so…" Marshall retorted.

"So…dumbass we can use a natural compass...a sundial! The one you made using sticks with the shadow of the sun…."Lucas replied.

"Oh yeah that's right! Good thinking Lucas!" Corrine said excitedly as she patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm going to tell Z about this. " Lucas said as he began to walk towards Z, who was standing by a tree, deep in thought. "Hey Z! I know how we can find our way out of this mess."

Z glanced at Lucas, with agony in his eyes. "How Lucas? We don't have a compass and I doubt we'll be able to fix this damned thing!" He retorted as he threw the broken compass onto the ground.

"We don't need that compass, Z. We can use these." Lucas suggested as he picked up four different sized sticks.

Z looked at Lucas and then at the sticks and immediately knew what he was talking about. "Oh yes! Why didn't I think of this! We can use the shadow of the sun when it sets to guide us in the direction we need to go! Brilliant Lucas!"

"He wasn't the one who thought about it! He got that idea from me freshman year!" Marshall yelled from a few feet away from them as he rolled his eyes at Lucas.

"Okay Lucas, put the sticks into the ground. We know the sun sets to the west. All we have to do is to wait for the sun to set and go in the direction where it will cast a shadow." Z said excitedly. Lucas placed the sticks into the ground, spacing them in the north, south, east, and west positions. Corrine and Marshall walked over to where Lucas and Z stood.

"I hope this works again…" Lucas said under his breath. After a few moments, something weird began to happen.

"Hey look! The sun seems to be setting…and it's moving fast!" Corrine said, pointing at the makeshift sundial.

"You have got to be kidding me. This same thing happened to us before…it's got to be the magnetic field around this place. It seems to be affecting the sun, too!" Marshall said in disbelief.

"This is truly uncanny…" Z whispered in amazement under his breath.

"Well, I guess this means that we should go east, right?" Corrine asked, eyeing Lucas.

Lucas shrugged his shoulders in uncertainty. "I guess so, but I thought we were supposed to be going west since the sun sets in the west...right?"

Marshall rolled his eyes and sighed impatiently. "No genius, didn't you see what direction the shadow pointed? It pointed east, even though the sun set west. We are supposed to go the opposite direction...right Z?"

Professor Z glanced back and forth between Lucas and Marshall in confusion. "Well, uh...we should go east. We have to go in the direction of where the sundial pointed." He answered with uncertainty in his voice.

Unconvinced by Z's answer, Lucas picked up the sticks, for he had a feeling that they were headed in the wrong direction. "I'll bring these sticks with us incase we need them again."

"Alright guys, the sun says we should go that way. Hopefully it's the right direction…we can't waste any more time." Z said as he pointed east and began walking. Corrine, Marshall, and Lucas stood still for a moment as they wearily watched Z walk off ahead of them.

"Hey guys, what do you think is out there waiting for us? Marshall whispered fearfully.

"I don't know, hopefully nothing that would kill us or delay us from finding Josie and Vaughn..." Lucas replied softly.

"I just hope we're heading in the right direction..." Corrine replied as she glanced at Lucas and rolled her eyes at Marshall.

"Only time will tell." Marshall said as he started walking, placing his hand on Corrine's shoulder. Corrine turned around with fierce look on her face.

"I'm still not talking to you." She glowered as she walked off ahead of them.

Lucas walked up behind him and chuckled. "Good luck buddy. You've got a lot of ass kising to do. I'm glad I am _not_ in your shoes right now." He retorted jokingly as he walked away from Marshall and caught up to Corrine.

Marshall sighed and shook his head in defeat. "Women."

* * *

Life continued normally back at Blake Holsey. No one, except for Victor Pearson and the janitor, realized that Josie and Vaughn were missing and that the remainder members of the science club were worlds away searching for them. Of course, Durst was told that they were away at a science convention, but she did not know that something was amiss. It would be a matter of time before she would discover that all was not right at Blake Holsey...

It had now been over a week since hell had broken loose. Victor Pearson was sitting at home, in his office, wondering about his son, and pondering the reasons why anyone would want to kidnap him and Josie. "I should have been more careful about Vaughn's safety…" Victor whispered to himself. "How careless can I be? I thought this was all over…I never would have suspected Middleton to be behind this! Why has it taken them so long to come back? I hope nothing has happened to them…"

As he continued to sit in agony over his thoughts, the doorbell suddenly rang. "I wonder who that can be….maybe it's…" He quickly got up out of his seat and ran to the door, hoping it was Vaughn, with the rest of the science club. Tears of joy began to well up in his eyes until they were suddenly stopped when he opened the door. To his dismay, it was the janitor, standing in the doorway with guilt written all over his face. "What are you doing here?" Victor asked in bewilderment.

The janitor swallowed a hard lump in his throat before he returned an answer. "Mr. Pearson…may I come in? I have to tell you something that's been eating at me for the last week."

Victor noticed the janitor's demeanor and knew that what he had to tell him was important, but was not going to be good news. "Come in…my office is back there." He replied as he moved to the side and let the janitor walk in. They walked over to his office and sat in silence for a few moments.

"Well, what seems to be the problem? Do you have any news of Vaughn and everyone else?"

The janitor shifted in his chair uncomfortably as he tried to maintain a calm composure. "No. Unfortunately I haven't, but I've come to tell you something else."

Fear began to well up inside of Victor. "Please tell me." He said nervously.

The janitor inhaled a nervous breath as he began to speak. "I wanted to let you know that the reason why Josie and Vaughn have disappeared is not because of you…but because of me…" He nervously looked at Victor in the eye, anxiously awaiting his response.

Victor widened his eyes in anger and confusion. "What? What do you mean because of you? You aren't the one Middleton is after. You don't have anything to do with him!"

The janitor turned his glance away from Victor and began to answer. "Unbeknownst to you, I do have something to do with him…"

Rage began to form in Victor's eyes as he stared at him in disbelief. "What type of affiliation do you have with him? Tell me now!"

"I…I was the one who was sending Josie and Vaughn's confidential information to Middleton because he wanted to know everything about them so that he could stop them from becoming successful with the new Pearadyne. He wanted to know what made them so unique..."

Victor stood up and leaned over the desk, in order to intimidate the janitor with his fierce glare. "Why would you do that? Don't you know that you've jeopardized my son and his friends' lives? They could be killed! If they haven't been already! I should expel you from this school right now and have the authorities apprehend you for this!"

The janitor widened his eyes with fear as he looked at Victor. "Please Mr. Pearson, I'm sorry! I didn't know that he was going to kidnap them! Let alone want to kill them! Please Mr. Pearson I will make this up to you! If it's no consolation, I want you to know that I've led Professor Z and the rest of the members to Middleton's hidden timeline.

Victor stood up and began pacing behind his desk in silence. "That still doesn't mean anything! You've proven to be a dangerous threat to the safety of the students in this school and also a treacherous enemy to me and my son."

"Please Mr. Pearson. I am not a threat or enemy to anyone! I am a watcher… who is also being victimized by Professor Middleton!"

"I know very well what the hell you are! And you are not doing what you were sent here to do! You were sent here to protect my plans…make sure they were not interrupted. But instead you did the opposite!" Victor glowered.

"Mr. Pearson, you don't understand…Professor Middleton has threatened my life in this matter also…"

"So you think sending him confidential information about two innocent teenagers and allowing him to kidnap them was the right thing to do? The only thing that had to be done? This only shows your allegiance with Middleton and that you have your own selfish plans in all of this! Don't you!

"No! No, sir I don't. I am desperately trying to own up to my mistakes...my responsibilities in all of this. That's why I decided not to help him anymore...I am actually keeping tabs on their whereabouts."

Victor sat down in his seat, confused. "How are you keeping a watch over them if you have not had any contact?"

"There are ways to keep track of people Mr. Pearson, without being there in person with them…"The janitor replied with a smug grin on his face.

Victor sat back in his chair and turned his gaze away from the janitor, trying to comprehend what he had just heard.

"So tell me about this fanatical way you've devised to spy on people."

The janitor moved in closer to the table and eyed Victor with seriousness. "I'm not sure if you remember this, or if you've ever heard of something called a shape shifter…"

Victor furrowed his eyes. "No, I can't say I'm familiar with it, but go ahead and continue."

"A shape shifter is a phantom-like creature that is sent by people from other timelines to spy on or kidnap other people who may be a threat to them. It is mainly used for evil, but it can also be used for good…"

"So you're telling me that the thing that kidnapped Josie and Vaughn was a shape-shifter and now you have it watching over them? That's absurd!" Victor said as he slammed his fists onto the desk top.

The janitor jumped in fear. "No, it's not like that Mr. Pearson…the shape shifter is a powerful being that accomplishes its tasks efficiently. Middleton had to be the one who sent out the evil one that kidnapped Josie and Vaughn. The shape shifter that I sent out is used for good, not for evil. As a matter of fact, I sent it out to guide Professor Z and the other students to Middleton's hideout. . Hopefully it got to them on time…"

Victor continued to stare at the janitor in disbelief. "So how do you know that this so-called phantom won't hurt them or turn against them?"

"Because…he was sent by a good person, who wanted it to perform a benevolent task…" The janitor replied with a confident smile.

Victor eyed the janitor with suspicion as he tried to read his body language. "Okay, I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but if in fact this phantom or whatever is successful at guiding them to Josie and Vaughn, you will be vindicated from your deceitful actions. I am warning you though, if they do not come back safely, you **will** suffer the consequences."

A small,nervous smile started to form on the janitor's face as relief welled up inside him. "Thank you Mr. Pearson. I will do all I can to make sure that they all get back safely. You have my **word**." He stood up and extended his hand for Victor to shake.

Victor glanced up at him and stood up and shook his hand. "You have my word, also." He said sternly with a serious frown. And with those last words, the janitor nodded his head and turned to leave the room. Victor watched the janitor intently as he strolled over to the front door and walked outside.

Victor sat back down in his chair, feeling somewhat relieved, yet worried about the outcome of all of this hell. Was he right for trusting the janitor now since he learned that he was the cause of his son's disappearance? He glanced around his desk and noticed a picture taken freshman year of him and Vaughn, standing outside the school. He picked up the picture and sighed with remorse as tormenting guilt pierced through his heart. "I'm sorry Vaughn…I've failed you and now I've put your life and the lives of your friends in danger. I just hope you're alive so that I can make it up to you…I'm so sorry Vaughn…" He cried silently as he placed a finger over the image of his son…

**Thanks for reading! Wow we've come a LONG way with this fic! I can't believe I stareted it in April and now it's about to be November! I hoped that I would have finished this story by October, but I had other things to do. Hopefully I'll be done by the end of November! Hopefully! So thanks again to everyone and stay tuned!**


	19. A Battle Ahead

**A/N Hey Guys! Sorry for the long wait! I had writer's block for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy reading because this chapter was somewhat hard to write! **

It's been over an hour since the heartbreaking scene was discovered. Ryan paced back and forth solemnly down the hallway. Vaughn, on the other hand, sat quietly on the floor grief stricken, with his back resting against the door to the room where Josie lay.

"I _cannot _believe this…I just can't…" Vaughn uttered under his breath as another tear trickled down his cheek. Ryan stopped pacing and glanced over at his new comrade, who now had his face buried in the palm of his hands.

"I'm sorry man…I feel like this is all my fault…if only I…"

"Don't blame yourself Ryan; you had nothing to do with it. You're a victim just like Josie and I…" Vaughn uttered softly in a sorrowful tone as he stared blankly at the rust colored floor.

Ryan walked towards Vaughn and peered through the window of the room that held Josie hostage. His eyes became fixated over her lifeless body that was halfway covered by a white sheet. He noticed that her skin was very pale, possibly cold to the touch. Her hair didn't seem as radiantly red as it once was in the brief moments he saw her alive. Sadness began to well up inside of him as he forced himself to speak. "She's so beautiful…" he stated in a soft whisper as he continued to stare at the body.

"Yeah she is…" Vaughn replied half-heartedly.

"So…how old are you guys?" Ryan inquired.

"I just turned seventeen a couple of months ago…and Josie…she would have been seventeen in a couple of weeks…" Vaughn replied hesitantly as he tried to swallow a painful lump in his throat.

"Were you two…_together_?" Ryan asked carefully as he watched Vaughn's demeanor.

Vaughn sighed and stood up to face Ryan, purposely keeping his back to the window. "No…we're just friends…I mean, I want to be more than just her friend. I like her…_a lot_…it's hard to explain."

A small smile appeared on Ryan's face as he noticed how Vaughn's face lit up when he spoke about his relationship with Josie. "I know what you mean…I've been there before."

After a few moments, Vaughn abruptly turned around and faced the window, with his eyes closed.

Ryan furrowed his brow as he eyed Vaughn oddly. "You don't have to look at her if you can't handle it, Vaughn. Don't torture yourself…"

"I'm alright…I have to do this…" Vaughn replied as he held his breath, slowly opening his eyes. At the same time he gazed upon Josie's body, an unbearable sensation of anguish began to overwhelm him. His heart stopped beating for a moment; his eyes began to burn from the tears that were now starting to fall down his cheeks. Ryan glanced helplessly at his friend and then at Josie, as he placed his hand gently on his shoulder. "Come on…I think we'd better go..."

Vaughn wiped a tear from his eye and faced Ryan. "No. We can't go…I can't leave her here like this." He replied in a strained whisper.

Ryan removed his hand off of Vaughn's shoulder and sighed. "We have to…I know it's difficult to leave her here…especially like this, but we have to go."

"Look, you don't understand…that's my friend in there and we promised each other that we would stick together no matter what…and help each other if one of us got into trouble." Vaughn retorted in a defiant tone.

"Vaughn, please… we have to get out of here before someone catches us and we both…"

"Go ahead and say it." Vaughn interrupted sarcastically. "Before we end up dead like Josie right…I would rather die than leave her here alone!" He turned away from Ryan, who was now speechless, and began to watch Josie, hoping she would make a sudden movement. "If only we can do something to help her," he whispered under his breath as tears began to force themselves out of his eyes.

Ryan stood a few feet away from Vaughn, allowing them to have some space after their heated disagreement. Suddenly, an idea came to him. "_There is something we could do…_he thought_…but I'm not sure if Vaughn will believe me. Dammit why didn't I think of this sooner!"_

"Vaughn…I just thought of something. I don't think it's too late for Josie…"

Vaughn faced Ryan with a quizzical expression on his face. "What? What do you mean it's not too late?"

"I just realized that we could counteract whatever drug they gave her." Ryan said confidently.

"You mean we stood here all this time waiting like dummies and you _knew_ that we could have done something to wake her up? How do you know that she's still alive? Are you trying to hide something from me?" Vaughn replied crossly.

Ryan rolled his eyes impatiently. "Look Vaughn, this just came to me. I would never try to hide something if I already knew the answer. I just remembered that there is a secret room somewhere in this building that supposedly has different kinds of antidotes and cures for everything."

Vaughn widened his eyes in amazement. "Well why didn't you think of this before?"

"I don't know, I forgot…maybe because I'm overcome with grief just like you are…Look, if you want to save your girl, we have to go find that room…and fast…" Ryan pleaded.

Vaughn turned his head and gazed upon Josie's lifeless body one last time. "Okay, I believe you…but if we happen to separate, one of us has to come back and get Josie."

Ryan smiled and patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. "No problem, you have my word…Come on, lets go…" With those last words, Vaughn and Ryan descended down the eerily lit hallway, full of hope and determination, ready to face the imminent danger that was eagerly waiting for them straight ahead…

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity of walking through the dense forest, the science club suddenly came across a clearing. The area seemed familiar, yet strange. The ground appeared to be covered with an odd brownish-orange color, littered with crushed rocks. A few yards away on the other side, the woods seemed to continue on forever, untouched. 

"What the hell is this, Mars?" Lucas asked as he stepped onto the abnormally colored ground.

"Lucas be careful, we don't know what kind of chemicals are in the ground." Professor Z warned as he walked up behind him.

Lucas ignored Z's warning and bent down to pick up a rock. "I wonder what type of element this is made out of? It doesn't look like anything I've seen before." He said as he examined the mysterious rock and secretly placed it into his pants pocket as he stood up.

"Oh please don't tell me we're lost again!" Marshall wailed as he walked over to Lucas and Z.

"Marshall we're not lost. We've never been here before because there wasn't any clearing in the last place." Z said as he surveyed the area.

Corrine walked over and joined the rest of the group. "Look, the ground is shaped in a perfect circle. It seems like a large object was sitting here or something…"

"You're right…it looks like whatever sat here probably singed the ground and that's why the ground is orange." Z replied as he continued to survey the area.

"Aliens..."Lucas blurted out excitedly. Marshall, Corrine, and Professor Z eyed Lucas strangely. "What? That's the only logical thing that could have caused the circle! Haven't you guys watched U.F.O. specials on t.v.?"

"Lucas, man you really need to lay off of the alien crap." Marshall retorted.

"Hey guys, look." Corrine began as she pointed a few yards ahead of them. A few hundred yards from where they stood, there was another thick forest that was unfamiliar to them.

"Aww man…another forest! It can't be! We just came out of this one!" Marshall whined in disbelief.

"I hope those aren't the same woods we came out of earlier." Corrine sighed.

"No I don't think they are Corrine. They seem to lead us away from where we started. We should continue to follow the direction of the sundial." Z replied as he faced the group.

"I think that we need to rest before we attempt to do anything else. I'm going to sit down. I can't take this anymore." Lucas replied in a defeated tone, as he walked off of the strange ground onto the green, familiar grass and sat down under a tree. Corrine and Z followed behind Lucas and sat next to him. Marshall, on the other hand, decided to sit on a log, a few feet away from them.

Silence finally fell amongst the group, for they were too exhausted to speak, and too aggravated to try and figure out where they were. After several minutes, the tranquility was unexpectedly disrupted by snickering coming from Marshall.

Lucas stared at Marshall strangely for a few seconds, as he tried to figure out what he was up to. "Uh, Marshall…I hope you're not doing what I _think_ you're doing over there…if you are, that's disgusting man! We have a lady in our presence for God's sakes!"

Marshall quickly turned his head and glared at Lucas, who now had a disgusted frown on his face. "No you dumbass! Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm thinking about something if you don't mind…"

"Well would you mind sharing your thoughts with us Marshall? We could really use a good laugh right about now." Z suggested with a despondent smile.

"I don't care to know what's on his mind…" Corrine shot back harshly as she glared at Marshall.

Marshall met Corrine's gaze and sighed hopelessly before responding. "Well Lucas _and_ Z, if _you two_ care to know, I was just thinking about the time when we were lost in the woods behind the school and we ran into Durst and Z."

"What's so funny about that?" Lucas asked him as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm actually laughing at Z." Marshall replied with a hearty chuckle as he eyed Z.

Z frowned at him confused. "Why would you be laughing at me?"

"Come on Z…you've got to know what I'm talking about."

"No…I don't know."

"Don't you remember? You were holding Durst's hand…and might I add very firmly." Marshall retorted as he broke out into laughter. He was soon joined by laughter coming from Corrine and Lucas.

"Oh yeah…I remember!" Lucas began. "That was pretty scary…and disturbing…why were you guys holding hands anyway Z?" He asked as he eyed Z quizzically.

Z rolled his eyes and shook his head. "We were holding hands because we didn't want to lose each other." There was a long pause after his last words as Corrine, Lucas, and Marshall stopped laughing and stared at him wide-eyed.

"You didn't want to _lose_ each other…were you two in love at some point in time and we never knew about it?" Marshall asked teasingly.

"**NO! NO!** I didn't mean it that way! We had to hold hands so that we wouldn't lose each other in the woods! Marshall stop trying to make something more out of it." Z retorted with a frustrated frown.

"I'm sorry to say this Z, but you two didn't realize how awkward you looked to us when you were holding hands. You two looked so comfortable with each other as if you were lovebirds or something." Corrine chimed in with a soft giggle.

"Do you guys remember that ridiculous outfit she had on? She looked like a rejected girl scout member that ate too many cookies…" Marshall replied frowning his face.

Lucas shook his head and twisted his face in disgust. "Gross man, now I can't get that image out of my mind…too much cottage cheese."

"Alright guys that's enough of making fun of Principal Durst. That's not right. She was dressed appropriately that day…we were hiking and she needed the proper attire to do so." Z responded defensively.

"Okay Z, were finished. No more jokes about you and Durst." Corrine said as she tried to hold back her laughter.

After a few moments of hysterical laughing, and an occasional snort (coming from Lucas), the laughter finally died down. Corrine, Marshall, Lucas, and Professor Z suddenly felt a change in the mood around them. It was as if the heaviness and stress they had in the beginning of their journey was suddenly lifted off of their shoulders.

"That day was pretty eventful wasn't it?" Marshall asked as he stood up to stretch.

"Yeah…it would have never happened if it hadn't been for Josie and Vaughn sneaking off together." Lucas replied with a halfhearted smile.

"This all seems like déjà vu. The three of us are lost in the woods looking for them…_again_." Corrine began, swallowing a painful lump in her throat.

"Yeah…only this time we have Z with us, but his girlfriend isn't here to hold his hand…" Marshall chuckled as he glanced at Z. Z returned his glance with a scowl that let Marshall aware that he had had enough of his banter.

"No offense Z. You know I had to get one more joke out." Marshall replied apologetically when he had noticed Z's harsh glare.

"None taken." Z replied sternly with a straight face.

"So what are we going to do _now_?" Corrine asked as she turned to Professor Z.

"I'm not sure Corrine. But for now, I think it's better if we camp out here for today."

"I agree. I am not budging until we know for sure where we're going." Marshall replied defiantly.

Just then, as Lucas sat quietly scanning the area, he noticed something peculiar in the sky. "Hey guys…you might want to look at this." He said worriedly as he pointed up towards the unfamiliar heavens. When everyone focused their attention on the sky, they noticed that half of the sky was completely nightfall, while the other side, (which was their side), was daytime.

"Uh…what's up with the sky?" Marshall asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't know Marshall…this is truly remarkable…" Z whispered, flabbergasted.

"Look at the way the stars are shaped. They are so different here…much bigger and brighter." Corrine replied.

"Maybe our side will turn dark in a few minutes…"Marshall suggested, sounding hopeful.

"I don't think so…remember Marshall, we're not in our own timeline anymore…" Z replied. Just then, the night sky began to do something that no one had ever witnessed before in history. A wind tunnel began to form, but it did not cause a breeze or touch down onto the earth below.

The science club continued to watch the sky in awe, anticipating something extraordinary to occur. "What the hell is happening?" Marshall asked worriedly.

"It looks like a vortex…" Z replied. At that same moment, a bright flash shot through the tunnel, traveling at a lightning speed across the sky towards the woods that lay ahead of them.

"What do you think that could be?" Corrine replied in a soft whisper.

"Aliens! I told you guys!" Lucas retorted, as he continued to watch the heavens above him.

Marshall walked over to the rest of the group and swatted Lucas on the chest. "Shut the hell up Lucas…it wasn't aliens! Stop trying to scare everyone with your bogus shit!"

"How do you know Marshall? You see the circle on the ground and that thing that just shot across the sky! You do realize that we are still in an alternate time line! Anything goes here!" Lucas shot back angrily.

"That's enough guys…" Z retorted as he eyed them sternly. "Look, whatever it is, it's miles away from us right now…There's nothing to worry about."

"Z, aren't we going to have to go through those woods soon? That's the direction the sundial pointed us to." Corrine replied as she pointed in the direction of where the object flew.

"Yes we may have to go that way, but…we'll just use the sundial again just in case. Lucas, put the sticks back into the ground again." Z said as he motioned for Lucas. Lucas sighed and stood up and placed the sticks into the ground. After a few moments, the sun's shadow quickly pointed in the direction of where they needed to go.

"I guess this means we're going through the woods…dammit." Marshall sighed uneasily.

"It's meant for us to see what that thing was." Lucas replied.

"Z…do you still want to risk it? You know we may run into danger ahead." Corrine asked wearily.

Z sighed and stared wearily ahead into the unknown. "We have to, if the sundial led us this far, it's probably leading us closer to Josie and Vaughn. It's the right thing to do. So…are you guys ready?" He asked as he eyed everyone.

Marshall, Corrine, and Lucas looked at each other nervously. "We're ready Z." Marshall replied.

"Okay then, let's go." Z said as he began to walk in front of them.

"Guys I don't think this is a good idea." Corrine replied.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine…trust me…" Marshall replied sweetly as he cautiously wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, who didn't seem to be mad at him anymore. Corrine glanced up at him and smiled.

"Thanks Marshall." She replied as they both walked off hand in hand behind Z.

Lucas stood behind as he watched his friends walk away ahead of him. He shook his head in disbelief when he realized that Corrine and Marshall had made up. "Damned lovebirds...here we go again. I wonder what'll happen next..." He whispered as he jogged slowly to catch up to them.

**There you go! Chapter 19! Wow! It's been a long journey! So much has happened to our dear science club over the past few months! Hmmm...I wonder what's going to happen next! We'll just have to find out! Stay tuned and thanks again for reading!**


	20. Liberation and Release

**A/N Hey guys! Here's the long awaited chapter! I am so sorry for updating after 2 months! I'll try not to do that again! I had writers block for a while and I didn't know how I wanted this chapter to be structured! I finally finished last night and now here it is! I hope you enjoy reading it!**

Victor Pearson sat quietly in his office, staring vacantly out the window towards the evening sky. Grief over the loss of his son paralyzed him to the point where he couldn't bear to leave the house. He hadn't stepped foot inside Blake Holsey ever since the day Professor Z informed him about the tragedy that occurred. It was too difficult for him to face the reality that his son was gone…and possibly never coming back. It had now been exactly two weeks since Vaughn and Josie vanished. What made it even worse was that there was no news from Gene, the janitor, about the whereabouts of Professor Z and the science club. Victor began to wonder if it was a mistake to trust the janitor with the rescue efforts. Gene's apology for being responsible for what happened to Vaughn and Josie seemed sincere, but there was something uncanny about his story. Victor knew deep in his heart that there was something more to the janitor's story, and he knew he had to find out before it was too late. As he turned around in the chair, his aimless gaze fell onto Professor Middleton's leather folder lying on the opposite side of the desk. He stared at it for a few moments, as a compelling feeling overcame him. He reached over and grabbed the folder and opened it. As he sifted through its contents, he came across a crumbled sheet of paper. "What's this?" He whispered. He opened the paper and discovered that it was a letter. The words were illegible and written in black ink. Victor struggled to decipher the scribbled words for a few moments, until he realized whom it was addressed to.

_**Dear Andreas, **_

**_I am writing to inform you about the events that have been happening here at Blake Holsey and with our dear conniving comrade, Victor. Once again, he has taken charge over the experiments and plans for Pearadyne 2. He will not listen to any of my ideas or even allow me to conduct my own experiments! He is so selfish and I will not tolerate his arrogance and blatant disrespect anymore! He continues to take credit for every idea and all the discoveries that a few others and I have helped him with! I know for a fact that he has done the same to you and I do not blame you for leaving. He has stolen your honor and hard work. He must be stopped! I will have Gene help you carry out your plans against Victor, since he helped us destroy Pearadyne! Gene and I have come up with a plan to really annihilate Victor if your plans should happen to backfire. I know you will be successful because you will have Gene in my absence. He knows more about the phenomena here than we do and he also wants to destroy Victor. Perhaps we should meet and discuss how to go about teaching him a lesson? We were able to get rid of one Pearson…but unfortunately there's still two we must dispose of…we also have to dispose of Judy Trent! She is as much of a threat as Victor! I have a plan that I'm sure you'll approve of. By the time you receive this letter, I will be worlds away. So, I've decided to tell no one but you and Gene about my whereabouts. Here are the coordinates to my secret location…._**

"Son of a bitch! I should have known Gene was hiding more information! How could I have been so stupid, thinking he would help me with this dilemma! I should have known he couldn't be trusted!" Victor said as he jumped out of his seat in outrage. He paced around the room for a few minutes, contemplating on what to do. Hurt, betrayal, grief, and anger were amongst a sea of mixed emotions that were raging inside him. He folded the letter and placed it into his suit pocket. "I can't believe this! I've lost everything because of him! My life, my work…Sarah…" Victor yelled in agony as he picked up a picture of his wife and traced the frame with his finger. "I've got to do something." He placed the picture of his wife back onto the desk and walked to the door. "This is the only way I can rectify things and get my son back…" He said boldly as he quickly left the office and walked out of the door of his mansion, heading to the place he hadn't been to in a few weeks.

* * *

Principal Durst stood anxiously in front of the mirror in her office, practicing the speech she was going to deliver personally for Victor. She was concerned about Professor Z and his class being away from school for a long time, and hoped Victor would send them back. It was against school policy for students to be away on a trip for more than a week. She believed Mr. Pearson when he told her that they had gone to a science convention and would be away for a few days. But he had failed to mention the name of the convention and where it was being held. She knew that something was amiss, and the only way to find out was to do something she absolutely hated…questioning Victor Pearson. She continued to practice her speech until she heard footsteps running down the hall. Thinking it was a student; she walked over to the door and opened it. She was about to reprimand the student for running until she noticed that it was Victor. She hesitated for a moment before she called his name. "Mr. Pearson! Excuse me Mr. Pearson!" She said nervously as her voice began to crack.

Victor stopped in his tracks and turned around, with an annoyed frown on his face. "What, Amanda! Can't you see I'm in a hurry! I'm in no mood to discuss school policy right now!"

Durst shook, as usual, at his intimidating tone. She took in a deep breath before answering. "Mr. Pearson, if I may…can I speak with you for a moment? It won't take long. Please…"

Victor rolled his eyes and began walking towards Durst's office. Amanda walked inside and sat at her desk while Victor stood in front of her. "Okay Amanda you have less than five minutes. What is the meaning of your urgency, Principal Durst?"

Durst swallowed a lump in her throat before speaking. "It's about Professor Zachary and his science club. Now I know you've said that they are at a science convention, but you've failed to mention what city they were going to and…"

"Where are you going with this?" Victor interrupted angrily, for he knew that she was trying to find out what was going on.

"Well, Mr. Pearson I'm just concerned they've been gone for nearly two weeks and I've been hearing disturbing rumors going around the school about them."

Victor stood quiet for a moment and smirked. "Oh really? What types of rumors have been spreading around school Principal Durst?"

She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, I've heard some students say that Professor Zachary was fired because…"she took and uneasy pause before continuing, "because he impregnated Ms. Trent and Ms. Baxter."

Victor sighed and rolled his eyes in disdain. "Are there any more of these absurd rumors?"

"I've also heard that Josie and Vaughn ran away with each other, but there is one story that seems to be truthful…" Victor widened his eyes. "You mean the one about my son and Trent running away or the one about Professor Z? Don't tell me that you are starting to believe what these students are claiming Amanda…"

"Oh no, most certainly not Mr. Pearson. I heard one student tell another one that Lucas Randall asked him if he had seen Josie and Vaughn. He also said that he saw Professor Zachary, Marshall, and Corrine searching the school for them." Victor widened his eyes in surprise. He suddenly became lost for words at what he was hearing. "Did this student say anything else?"

Durst squinted her eyes as she thought. "Yes he did…he mentioned something about a bright light coming from the back of the school."

"What? A bright light? What's the name of this witness…I mean student?" Victor replied.

"Neil McAllister. He is a freshman. Are you going to question him about something? Is everything alright?" Durst answered.

Victor stood quiet and turned his gaze from her as he thought about questioning the student. _Perhaps he can tell me more about what happened that day_…he thought.

"No. I'm not going to question him about anything..."Victor replied.

"Mr. Pearson I don't mean to prod into your personal affairs, but I need to know what is really happening. Every student here is my responsibility and I must know their whereabouts. There have been a few phone calls from some of the parents of the members of the science club. They are concerned about their children because they have not heard from them in over two weeks. They've called three times so far and I had to tell them that they were at a science convention. I felt terrible when I couldn't tell them any more information because I don't know anything. Please Mr. Pearson if you…"

"I don't know where they are, but I know why they left…" Victor blurted out unintentionally.

Durst sat back in her chair, taken aback by Victor's comment. "What are you saying Mr. Pearson? Are they not at a science convention?"

Victor sighed and eyed Durst with pain in his eyes. He was debating whether or not he should tell her the truth, but that would mean jeopardizing the safety of the students and the future of the school. He knew that if he said something, she would tell the parents about what was happening, and he could not take any risks.

Durst stood up at her desk as Victor turned his gaze from her. "Please Mr. Pearson, tell me…"

"Please Amanda, just trust me that everything is being handled. You have nothing to worry about. I will make sure Professor Zachary and his students will return safely. They should be returning very shortly." Victor replied as he turned to leave. Durst eyed him with suspicion, for she knew that there was a reason as to why Professor Zachary and his students were gone for a long time, but Victor was not talking. "Mr. Pearson…is there anything I can do?"

Victor opened the door and turned around, with sorrow in his eyes. "Just pray for us." He replied in a strained tone as he walked out the room and closed the door. Durst stared at the closed door and slowly sat down in her chair. Fear began to well up inside her body as horrible thoughts began to race though her mind. She felt helpless and worried. She knew that whatever was going on with Victor and the science club was serious, and the only thing she could do was hope and pray that everything would work itself out for the better.

* * *

Victor approached the door to the basement with caution. He opened the door and began his descent down the stairs, fearless, and ready to confront Gene. He glanced around the dark cellar until he noticed the janitor sitting on his bed, staring blankly into the distance. Victor walked over to where Gene sat and stood in front of him, deciding whether or not it would be a good idea to punch him. Gene slowly raised his head and met Victor's threatening glare. He jumped up and attempted to leave, but Victor grabbed him by the shirt collar and slammed him against the wall.

"You lied to me…you told me that you didn't know where my son and Josie were! You told me that you weren't working for Middleton anymore! I found out that you helped Avenir in his attempt to try to destroy me! You son of a bitch! I should break your neck right now!"

The janitor was horrified and lost for words. He did not know why Victor was accusing him of being a traitor and a liar. He tried to break free from Victor's grasp, but couldn't. "Mr. Pearson, please…let me explain."

"Explain! Let you explain! What are you going to say now Gene? Are you going to tell me more lies? I have proof that you not only tried to help Avenir and Middleton conspire to get rid of me, but you were also responsible for the accident at Pearadyne!" Victor yelled as he shoved the janitor once more before letting him go. Gene stumbled after his assailant released his hold on him. Victor backed away and pulled out the letter that was tucked inside his suit pocket.

"Mr. Pearson I don't know what you are talking about." The janitor replied meekly.

"Maybe you should read this! Perhaps this letter will help you remember!" Victor retorted as he opened the letter and handed it to Gene. The janitor began reading the letter silently, pausing to look up guiltily at Victor.

"Well? Answer me! Is this true? Are you after me and did you help Avenir?" Victor inquired in a demanding tone. Gene lowered his gaze and swallowed a lump in his throat. "Yes…it's all true. I did help Avenir and I am partially responsible for the Pearadyne accident. But you must believe me…I am not working for them anymore. I regret helping them and I will do anything to make it up to you." He pleaded.

"Do you know what you've cost me? My wife is dead because of you, half of my life's work is destroyed, and my son…" Victor paused as he tried to hold back tears, "my son is missing…"

"I'm truly sorry…I never intended for this to happen. I still haven't heard from Professor Z. I sent my shape shifter to help guide them to Middleton's hideout."

Victor glared at the janitor. "You liar! You didn't send any help! I know that you know Middleton's exact coordinates! But you sent them on a wild goose chase! Instead of you opening up the vortex in the exact area, you sent them somewhere else…didn't you?"

"No I sent them in the right place…but I didn't send them directly to Middleton's lab. I feared that they would get caught and then all would be lost." The janitor replied solemnly.

"It's your fault why they have been gone for so long! They could be lost in the woods somewhere in another world and not know that they are in the wrong placed!" Victor yelled in agony.

"They are in the right place Mr. Pearson…I can assure you."

"I have to do something…" Victor said angrily. "I have to go in. Send me directly to Middleton's hideout or lab or whatever that creature lives in. I must confront him and stop him. They can't do this alone. We have no time."

The janitor eyed him cautiously. "Mr. Pearson, if I send you by yourself, you could be in real danger…you can be killed."

"I don't care. I must get my son back…no matter what the consequence." Victor said sternly.

The janitor smiled respectfully and walked over to another wall. He then drew an invisible vertical line on the wall and stepped back. After a few seconds, a bright light broke though the wall, forming a vortex. The janitor walked over to Victor and extended his hand. "This is it Mr. Pearson. This leads directly to Middleton's lab. Please be careful, for he is an even more dangerous foe than Avenir."

Victor glanced at the janitor's hand and shook it firmly. He then walked towards the vortex and turned around to look at the janitor. "Are you absolutely sure this is the right place?"

"Yes…believe me. I am on your side now. Middleton must be destroyed." The janitor retorted.

"Since you know everything, Gene, what is Middleton's weakness? How can I stop him once and for all?" Victor asked.

The janitor stepped closer to him and smiled. "That's something only you know…you will find out when the time is right." Victor eyed the janitor suspiciously and then nodded his head and returned the smile. "Thank you…" And with those last words, Victor turned around and walked through the vortex, traveling to an unknown world filled with danger and obstacles that he must overcome.

* * *

Meanwhile a world away, something miraculous was taking place inside of a dark, eerie room. The cold, lifeless body that lay still on an examining table for over two days was suddenly coming to life. Josie slowly opened her eyes and gasped, allowing the warm air to inflate her lungs. She carefully turned her head to glance around the dark room in an attempt to focus her weak eyes. She then noticed that there was a sheet covering her body. She tried to move her arms and legs, but they felt like lead and were too heavy to lift. After a few moments of lying still on the cold, hard table, a rush of warmth shot throughout her body, enabling movement in her appendages. She looked under the sheet and noticed, to her great surprise, that she was still fully clothed.

Josie's eyesight was becoming sharper by the moment and she was able to see that she was in some sort of hospital room. "What is this place? Where am I? Where's Vaughn?" She whispered in bewilderment as she attempted to sit up. She winced in pain as she tried to move her upper body, but lay back down in defeat. Her muscles were in great pain from being cold and stiff from not moving for the past couple of days.

"What the hell did they do to me? I've got to get out of here." She said as she attempted several more times to sit up. On what seemed like the fiftieth attempt, she successfully sat up and slowly turned her lower body so that her legs were hanging off the table. She removed the sheet completely off of her body and let it fall to the floor. She then carefully lifted herself off of the table to stand but her legs gave way, causing her to fall onto the cold, hard floor.

"Ouch! Dammit what the hell is going on?" Josie said in a panic as her heart began to race.

As she lifted herself onto her knees, she glanced up at the far side of the room towards the door and noticed something peculiar. It seemed to be an outline of a person standing at the door. She squinted her eyes to get a good look, and to her horror, realized that it was someone dangerous lurking in the shadows. She desperately tried to stand, but to no avail. Her legs were still very fragile and sore. She glanced up at the dark figure again and noticed that it had moved closer to where she lay. "I'm not giving up…I just have to stand!" She said bravely as she grabbed onto the table and attempted to stand once more. She unknowingly grabbed onto a sheet that had tools sitting on it and lost her grip. She fell even harder onto the floor and caused some of the tools to crash down onto the floor beside her body. She glanced up, straining her eyes, to try to get a better view of the person that was moving closer to her. She reached out her hand and unknowingly pulled on a table sheet and caused a cold metal object to strike her head. The effects of the object socking her on the head sent a paralyzing shock of pain to rush from her head to the rest of her body. Josie screamed in agony and touched the top of her head. She could feel warm liquid oozing down her head and starting to drip onto the floor.

"Oh no…" She said in a faint whisper.

At that moment, Josie felt her eyes beginning to close and struggled to keep them open. She lifted her head and saw the figure standing right in front of her, but she could not make out its face. She laid her head back on the floor, overcome with pain, and began to close her eyes. She came to the frightening realization in her heart that she was in terrible danger, and this could truly be the very last thing she would see in her last moments alive…

**How did you like it? What's going to happen next? Who's the person standing over Josie? Could she be in trouble again? Did the janitor send Victor through the right wormwhole? Keep reading to find out! I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but we are coming to the end. Thank you guys for reading and reviewing! If you have any suggestions and want to see something else happen in this fic or in any of my other fics, just let me know! Thanks!**


	21. Funny How Time Flies

**Hey Guys! Sorry for updating so late! I had seriou writer's block! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

"How long have we've been lost?" Marshall asked aloud as Professor Z and Lucas walked a few feet in front of him and Corrine.

Z stopped in his tracks and turned round to face his complaining student. He was not up to entertaining Marshall's whining. Z sighed and rolled his eyes before answering.

"For the one-thousandth time Marshall, we are **not** lost. The sundial pointed us in the right direction and this is the way the object flew. We are going to follow it whether you like it or not."

Marshall was taken aback by Z's response. He could tell that the Professor was aggravated and almost at his breaking point. Instead of returning a sarcastic answer, as he always did, Marshall decided to keep quiet. Lucas stood off to the side next to Z and smirked at the scene before him. He then tapped Z on the shoulder.

"Professor Z, I don't mean to sound like I'm bitching and complaining, like Marshall over here, but we need to rest."

Marshall shot his best friend an angry glower and in response, Lucas smiled teasingly at him.

"I agree with Lucas Professor Z. We've been walking for _way_ too long. It seems like the nighttime part of the woods are miles away. I noticed that with every step we take, the woods seem to move itself further away from us." Corrine replied.

Z turned his gaze way from Corrine and looked across the open field to where the dark part of the forest lay. He began to ponder over Corrine's theory and realized that she was right. The woods seemed to be further away than he calculated. He then turned around to face Corrine.

"Corrine I believe you are right. The woods seem to be getting further away as we walk. We should have reached the other side two hours ago."

"Yeah that's what I was saying…" Marshall chimed in.

Z shot Marshall a stern glare. He then sighed and looked at everyone's tired facial expressions. He too, wanted to stop and rest, but there was something inside him egging him on to continue their journey. But he knew that he was beyond exhausted and felt his body fighting with him to relax. He glanced at the dark wooded area once more and turned to his students with a smile.

"Okay guys. I guess we should stop and take a break."

"Oh thank _God_!" Marshall blurted out excitedly.

"Let's pick the right spot to get comfortable." Corrine suggested.

As they began their search for the right location, the sky above them suddenly turned to nightfall. Stunned, everyone stopped in their tracks, looked at each other and then looked up at the sky.

"What the hell just happened?" Corrine asked in shock as she firmly grabbed Marshall's hand.

Z surveyed the area and noticed that the other side of the woods, which was the place they were formerly walking through, had daylight. "It seems like we've somehow made it to the other side of the woods."

"But that's impossible. The dark woods were miles ahead of us. How the hell could we walk a few miles in just a few steps?" Lucas asked in bewilderment.

"I don't know, Lucas, but there's some weird shit going on. It's like someone or something is playing a cruel trick on us, guys." Marshall replied as he looked around the area.

The forest they were now standing in was slightly different from the daylight area they were once familiar with. The trees were much taller and thicker and were more spread apart from each other. The atmosphere seemed to be much more eerier. The night sky revealed a large, bright moon and stars, which were much larger than the ones back home. The light from the moon and stars emitted a ghostly silver glow onto the world below them. The science club stood in an awestruck silence as they gazed at the magnificent scene above them.

"Wow. The sky looks more beautiful when you're standing right under it." Corrine said in a soft whisper.

"Yeah. The moon looks close enough to touch." Lucas added. When he lifted his hand, probably in an attempt to see if he could possibly touch the moon, Marshall caught sight of what he was doing. He quickly ran over to him and forced his hand down. Lucas looked at him in confusion.

"Marshall what the hell are you doing?"

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing? I was trying to prevent you from doing something stupid! Why were you trying to touch the moon?" Marshall asked angrily.

Lucas stared at him and burst out into laughter. Corrine and Z soon joined him. Marshall frowned and eyed everyone in confusion. "What the hell is so funny?"

"You! You should have seen your face! You looked so scared!" Corrine said with a soft giggle.

"Yeah Marsh, chillax! You don't really think I was going to try and touch the moon did you? I did that to see how you would react." Lucas replied as he tried to stop laughing. Marshall rolled his eyes and then looked at Z, who was trying to hold back his laughter.

"Okay guys, that's enough." Z chuckled. "Let's sit over there. That looks like a great spot to relax." He said as he led the group over to a small clearing encircled by a few of trees. "I think we ought to make a campfire. Let's look around for some firewood."

After a few minutes, they met back at the campsite and dropped the sticks onto the ground, forming a pile.

"Okay, who knows how to make a fire?" Z asked with an enthusiastic smile.

"I'll do it. It can't be _too_ hard. All you need is friction and some heat and wa-la. You have fire." Lucas replied knowingly as he sat down on the ground and grabbed two sticks from the pile and began rubbing them together.

A few minutes passed by and there was still no fire. Lucas was becoming frustrated and rubbed the sticks even faster. Marshall watched in amusement as his best friend struggled to light a fire. Corrine also watched Lucas and then glanced at her boyfriend, who was holding back a laugh. She smiled and nudged his arm.

"Marshall, don't laugh. Help him!" She said in a soft whisper.

Marshall glanced at Corrine and began laughing aloud. Lucas glanced up and noticed Marshall snickering. He then gave up on making a fire.

"What's so damn _funny_, Marsh?" Lucas inquired in an irritated tone.

"It's _you_ man. You've been rubbing these sticks together for the past twenty minutes! I though you said that you knew how to make a fire?"

Lucas glared at his friend. "I _do_ know how to make a damn fire. These sticks are bad that's all. Why don't you get over here and make a freakin' fire smart-ass?"

"Maybe I can help you out, Lucas." Z said as he walked over to the pile of sticks.

"Can you make a fire Z? We'll be here all night." Marshall retorted.

"Not necessarily Marshall, when you have this." Z said proudly as he pulled out a lighter from his pants pocket and flicked on a flame. Corrine, Marshall, and Lucas all stared in disbelief at Professor Z, as if they've never seen a lighter before.

"Z…since when did you have a lighter? Do you smoke?" Marshall asked.

"No. I happen to carry a lighter just in case I'm in a situation like this."

"Smart thinking, Z. I just wished you would have pulled out the lighter sooner." Lucas retorted under his breath as he got up from the ground and dusted off his pants.

Z then bent over and carefully lit the small pile of sticks and then put away his lighter.

"Okay guys. Our fire is finally born." Z said proudly as he sat down around the campfire. Marshall and Corrine sat next to each other while Lucas sat next to Professor Z. They all sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the cackling of the burning firewood. The light from the fire, along with the haunting glow emitting from the midnight heaven above, made the appearance of the woods seem less threatening.

"We should have bought some marshmallows." Marshall suggested. Lucas glanced at his best friend and smirked.

"Only _you_ would think about food at a time like this."

"You know what, guys? This reminds me of the time I went camping with my boy scout troop when I was ten years old." Z began with a smile.

"How so, Z?" Corrine asked with a sweet smile.

"Well, we were in the same type of woods like this one, except for the abnormal sky. But anyway, I remember the whole forest seemed to take a life on it's own…"

Lucas looked at Z with a confused frown. "So what you're saying is that you think that this forest is alive in some way?"

"No, not really. Like our earth, this place is _'alive'_ per-se because it supports life. I think that this place has some sort of sub consciousness." Z replied.

"Now that I think about it, this place does seem like it is alive. That explains how the darker woods seemed to _'walk'_ away from us." Corrine added.

"So let me get this straight, you guys are saying that the reason why it took us so long to reach this forest is because it was purposely _moving_ away from us?" Marshall asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah…think about it Marsh, that would explain why all of a sudden the sky turned dark and we ended up where we needed to be. It's as if it stalled our timing for some reason, or it was playing a joke on us or something." Lucas replied.

"Your theory seems correct, Lucas. I believe that there is a reason it took us so long to get here. We weren't supposed to reach these parts of the woods until a designated time. Maybe there's something about to happen…" Z concurred.

"Or maybe something _did_ happen already…" Lucas retorted. Everyone eyed each other wearily and were silent for a few moments until Marshall began to speak.

"This shit is too weird. Hey Corrine, do you want to take a walk with me?" Marshall asked as he stood.

Corrine stood up and smiled. "Yeah, sure Marshall."

"Don't stray away too far guys, we don't need anyone else missing." Z replied.

"Don't worry Z, we won't stray too far. I just need to clear my head." Marshall retorted with a weary smile.

"Yeah, _sure_ you doMarshall." Lucas said teasingly, knowing that his roommate wanted to spend some much needed alone time with Corrine.

Marshall smirked guiltily and walked away with his girlfriend by his side. They quietly walked a few feet away from the campsite, making sure it was in clear view. Corrine surveyed the area and began to wonder why Marshall brought her with him.

"Marshall why are we here? Is everything…"Before she could finish her sentence, Marshall whisked around and planted a heated, fervent kiss on her lips. Corrine was taken aback by his actions, but gave in freely to his embrace. She noticed that the kiss was different. There was more desperation and fear entwined with his embrace. After a few minutes, they broke away from the kiss and looked at each other with a smile. Marshall placed his forehead on Corrine's and held her firmly by her waist.

"_Wow_…I didn't expect that Marshall. That was…that was _different_." Corrine replied in a soft whisper. "Is everything alright?"

Marshall smiled and stepped back from his girlfriend and held both of her hands. "Everything's fine. I just wanted to spend some alone time with you. Do you know that we haven't kissed in like…_forever_?"

"Yeah, I know. But what I also noticed was that you seemed scared when you kissed me." Corrine retorted.

"I'm alright. I'm just stressed. I guess all this talk about the woods being alive and this whole stress of Josie and Vaughn missing is starting to get to me." Marshall replied.

Corrine smiled and cupped his face. "Well don't worry, as long as I'm here and we got Lucas and Professor Z, nothing can beat us."

Marshall smiled and grabbed her waist, drawing her closer to his body. "So, how about another kiss to take away my stress?" He asked huskily.

"I don't mind." Corrine replied sweetly as she kissed his lips. As they were distracted in each other's embrace, Marshall suddenly pulled away from her lips and glanced around the area. Corrine looked at her boyfriend strangely. "Marshall what's…"

"Shhh. Did you hear that?" Marshall asked. Corrine surveyed the area and then turned back to her boyfriend. She noticed that his eyes were filled with fear.

"No. I didn't hear anything."

"I could have sworn I hear something. It was coming from over there." Marshall said as he pointed towards a darker part of the woods. At that same time, a rustling sound came from the same direction he pointed to. Corrine heard the sound, also.

"What was that?" She asked as she clutched Marshall's arm tightly.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it wasn't the wind." He replied. As they surveyed the area, they noticed a dark, human shaped figure standing between two oddly shaped trees where Marshall had pointed. At first, they thought it was Lucas or Z, but when it stepped into the moonlight, they noticed that it was something they never saw before.

"Oh shit. What the hell is that?" Corrine asked as she and Marshall took one step back.

"I don't know, but this doesn't look good…"

**So...like it? Let me know! Hmmm...What could be standing by the trees? What's going to happen to Corrine and Marshall? Stay tuned!**


	22. Mad World

**A/N: Hey guys are you ready for another chapter? Here it is! I surprised myself by updating this story so fast! I wrote this chapter today in just 2 hours! Well I hope you enjoy it and stay tuned for more! Now read!**

Ryan and Vaughn finally arrived on the floor where the supposedly "_secret_" storage room lay. It had taken them a couple of hours to search almost every floor of the building, but they maintained their high hopes, for they knew that Josie's life was at stake. They ran into a few obstacles on the way, but managed to keep safe from imminent dangers that still lay ahead of them. Ryan insisted on walking a few steps ahead of Vaughn, in order to protect him from anyone who might be lurking around the corners.

"The room should be coming up just around the corner." Ryan said in a hopeful whisper. Vaughn eyed his partner with uncertainty as he watched him peer through the windows of locked doors.

"How do you know that we're close?" Vaughn inquired skeptically.

"Because…I can feel it. This hallway is starting to look more familiar to me. I've only been up here once, so I have to make sure we don't make a mistake and skip it…" Just as they came around the corner, a few faint voices echoed through the halls. Terrified, Vaughn and Ryan stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other.

"Did you hear that?" Vaughn asked worriedly.

"Yeah…it sounds like Fred. That short, smelly guy I was with. You know the one you beat up?"

A victorious smirk formed on Vaughn's face as he remembered the fight he had with Ryan's ex-partner. "Yeah…how could I forget? I kicked that guy's ass."

As the voices continued to follow behind them, Ryan frantically searched the area, until he spotted a secluded room in a far, dark corner of the hall.

"Quick Vaughn, in here!" Ryan said as he and Vaughn scurried quietly down the hall to the room. Ryan placed his hand on the door and prayed to God that it was unlocked. He turned the knob and realized that his prayer had been answered. Ryan ushered Vaughn into the room and followed behind him and quickly closed the door, and qiuckly locked it. The room was pitch black and warm. The air was stale and a little uncomfortable. There was no way of knowing what was inside or how big it was, until Vaughn bumped into something, making it fall to the floor with a loud crash.

"Oh no…" Vaughn whispered under his breath.

Ryan quickly turned around, extending his hands out in the dark to try to reach Vaughn. "Vaughn, are you alright? What the hell was that?"

"I don't know. I think I bumped into a shelf or something and a glass fell."

"I hope no one heard that." Ryan retorted apprehensively. At that same moment, the voices that were following them in the hall were now getting louder, and clearer.

"Oh shit…" Vaughn whispered.

"Shhh. Don't say anything. Maybe they didn't hear that glass shattering? Just be calm and they'll pass by..." Ryan said hopefully.

The voices continued to get louder and to their horror, stopped right in front of their sanctuary. Ryan listened carefully to the voices, realizing that one did belong to his infamous partner, Fred and the other, to his vile soon-to-be ex-girlfriend, Madison.

"_She got what she deserved_." Fred retorted sadistically.

_"Yeah she did. If she would have cooperated and not have fought us so much then we wouldn't have had to sedate her._" Madison replied matter-of-factly.

_"I'm glad I put so much anesthesia in that needle to knock her out for a few days. Who knows? I probably put too much in there and her heart probably stopped. Oh well, too late now."_ Fred retorted snidely.

During the whole conversation, Vaughn burned with rage. He had one nerve to burst through the door and beat up the two people standing outside of the door. How dare they joke about hurting Josie and gloat on the possibility that they killed her? He could feel hot tears forcing themselves down his cheeks the angrier he grew. Ryan was also infuriated. He too wanted to do something about them, but he knew that it was too risky and he didn't want to jeopardize his life as well as Vaughn's. _Please be calm, Vaughn_. _Don't do anything you'll regret…_Ryan thought hopefully about his friend, whom he knew was hurting badly.

_"Why do you even waste your time with Ryan?"_ Fred asked suddenly.

Ryan listened closely to the intruder's conversation when he heard his name.

_"I don't know. I don't really like him. I guess I'm with him because he reminds me of Vaughn…"_ Madison replied nonchalantly.

_"Vaughn? You mean that brat who nearly killed me? Don't tell me you like that kid."_ Fred spat back in disbelief.

_"No. I don't like him. Not anymore…until that damn Trent girl showed up and messed up everything. Damn runt! I hope she never wakes up!"_ Madison spat out venomously.

_"Well you don't have to worry too much about her now. We got rid of her. Now the boy's next."_ Fred said with a heinous chuckle.

Vaughn nearly lost his composure at what Madison and Fred were saying. He wanted so badly to wring Fred's neck and tell off Madison, but he knew it was not worth it. Ryan,on the other hand, seemed unaffected by Madison and Fred's words. He never liked her anyway. In fact, he hated her…He felt the same about Fred. He could not believe how he was able to withstand Fred's abuse for the last two years since he's been in this hell hole.

After a few moments, the man's voice spoke up one more time.

"_Let's go. We don't want to be late for Middleton's meeting. Ryan doesn't have to come. He's gonna keep that bastard company while we're gone."_ With those last words, the intruders left. Ryan and Vaughn did not move nor talk until they heard their footsteps disappear down the hall.

"I cannot believe them! How could they say those things about Josie? They don't even care that they killed her!" Vaughn said angrily. Ryan began to feel his way around the room, touching the walls, hoping to find a light switch. After a few seconds, his fingers brushed against something on the wall that felt like a switch.

"Bingo." Ryan said as he flicked the switch. The light finally came on. Vaughn and Ryan covered their eyes, for the light was too bright and began to hurt their eyes.

"Man, I never thought that we would ever find light." Vaughn said as he carefully removed his hands away from his eyes and focused them on the lit room. Ryan did the same and walked over to Vaughn.

"What is this place?" Vaughn asked in an awestruck tone.

Ryan looked around the room and to his surprise, realized that this was the room they had been looking for.

"It's Middleton's secret storage room! We found it, Vaughn!" Ryan said excitedly as he began to search the shelves, looking for the antidote. Vaughn looked at the floor and noticed what he had spilled. It appeared to be a vial full of blue liquid, but it was dried up.

"What the hell was that?" Vaughn asked, pointing at the mess spilled on the floor.

Ryan turned to Vaughn and looked down at the floor. He then looked at Vaughn with worry on his face.

"Dude, you are so lucky that that stuff didn't get onto your skin."

"Why? What is that?" Vaughn inquired curiously.

"It's some type of sulfuric acid in it's purest form. I think Middleton made it in a way that it would not only kill you, but turn your corpse blue." Ryan retorted eerily.

Vaughn let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God that didn't touch me."

"Come on man, let's find the vial." Ryan said as he began to sift through the shelves that seemed to contain medicine and dangerous chemicals.

After a few moments, Vaughn began to grow weary and hopeless. He was beginning to think that their whole search was useless, until Ryan pulled out a small vial.

"Here it is!" Ryan said excitedly as he walked over to Vaughn and showed him the small clear vial. "Here's the antidote that will counteract whatever anesthesia they gave Josie."

Vaughn looked at the vial and then at Ryan quizzically. "How do you know that this is what we need?"

Ryan smiled confidently. "Because, it's labeled anesthesia antidote over here and on the box." He said as he showed Vaughn the red label on the tube and on the box.

"Do you think that's enough to wake her up?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah. All we need is just one drop and she'll wake up. I think that the stuff they gave her was something that put her into suspended animation."

"Suspended animation? What's that?" Vaughn asked with a confused frown.

"That's when something looks like its dead, but it isn't. All of the internal organs, except for the brain, sleep and do not function, but the brain is still awake. That allows the person to stay alive. I bet you Middleton concocted this serum from a type of frog that can go through suspended animation."

"Oh…" Vaughn replied confusedly.

"But, not all animals can do that...not even humans. He had to devise a way for a human to survive such an extremely dangerous stunt. I bet you that bastard was going to use it on himself for one of his sick projects." Ryan suggested in a disgusted tone.

"Yeah, and it sucks that Josie was his first victim." Vaughn replied, holding back tears. "Wait, how do you know that he used that suspended animation anesthisia or whatever you call it on Josie?"

"Because, when they were standing in front of the door, I heard Fred mention that he might have put too much anesthesia into the needle and that he only wanted her to sleep for a very long time. I realized that the only anesthesia he's trained to use is this one. I remember him complaining to Middleton about how it wasn't fair that he couldn't use the more deadly chemicals." Ryan explained.

Vaughn stood quiet for a few moments, deep in thought. "So what you're telling me that Josie might not be dead after all?"

Ryan smiled and patted his friend on the shoulder. "There's a good chance that she's not dead, but in a deep, catatonic sleep."

A wave of relief suddenly overcame Vaughn. He felt like crying and laughing all in one emotion. He smiled at Ryan wearily and nodded his head.

"Anyway, let's go. We have to get to her before something else happens to her." Ryan said as he unlocked the door and poked his head out the room.

He stepped outside the room and peered around the corner. There was no one in sight. He looked both ways and signalled Vaughn to follow him. Vaughn turned off the light and followed behind Ryan. They quietly tiptoed their way down the dark, barely lit hallway until they made it inside the secluded elevator that bought them to their destination.

"I hope this works." Vaughn said slightly optimistic as he looked at Ryan.

"So do I, Vaughn, so do I..."

**A/N: So how did you guys like it? What do you think will happen next? Thank you for reading and reviewing! Stay tuned for more coming up soon!**


	23. Awake Unto Me

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's another chapter! SOrry to have updated so late! I hope you enjoy! Take care!**

"Corrine give me your hand and run fast!" Marshall yelled to his girlfriend as he grabbed her hand and ran quickly away from the strange figure. Corrine slightly turned her head back to see if the thing was following them. Marshall noticed that she turned her head and yelled.

"Corrine don't look back! That will only slow you down and cause you to panic more. Let's just stay focused on what's ahead."

Corrine looked at Marshall and nodded her head. After a few moments of frantically running for their lives, they spotted the glow of the campfire, where Lucas and Z still sat.

* * *

Professor Z and Lucas were relaxing against a large tree, admiring the seemingly peaceful nighttime scenery when they suddenly heard their names being screamed.

"Professor Z! Lucas!" Corrine and Marshall yelled in unison as they approached the campsite and stopped in front of Lucas and Professor Z, panting. Z and Lucas immediately rose to their feet and looked at the two worriedly.

"Corrine, Marshall what's wrong?" Z inquired as he placed his hands on Marshall's shoulders.

"It's…it's coming for us…" Corrine said in a breathless whisper. Z and Lucas eyed her strangely.

"_Who_ is coming after us Corrine? Lucas asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Corrine quickly placed her head on Lucas's chest and began to cry.

"Will one of you _please_ tell us what's going on?" Professor Z said desperately as he looked at Marshall.

"Corrine and I were talking down by the clearing, when we heard a rustling sound coming from behind a bush. At first, we thought it might be an animal or something until it stepped out from behind a tree. It was some sort of shadowy figure…shaped like a man…"

"What?" Z asked as he looked in the direction where Marshall pointed. "Are you sure it wasn't someone who was lost in the woods and needed help?"

"No…when that thing or whatever it was came closer to us, it had no face, no nothing…It looked like some freakin' ghost or something!" Marshall said manically.

"Are you sure your eyes weren't playing tricks on you? It's nighttime out here and you could have seen the shadow of a tree or something." Lucas suggested.

"No! It was _not_ a tree and our eyes weren't playing any tricks on us! It was a shadowy man or whatever it was!" Corrine replied as she lifted her head from Lucas's chest and stepped away from him. "There was enough light from the moon to help us see clearly and that thing looked evil."

"Okay guys let's just calm down and take a breather for a second…" Z suggested as he led them over to sit down at the tree .

"Z there's no time for that! We need to go _now_ before that thing follows us!" Marshall exclaimed desperately as he stepped away from Z.

"Marshall is right Professor Z. If something is after us we need to go now." Lucas mentioned in a stern voice.

"Before we do anything, I want you two to show me where your ordeal happened." Z said as he eyed Corrine and Marshall.

The couple looked at each other nervously and grabbed hands.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Z. That ghost could still be lurking around and may catch us if we go back there!" Corrine replied with tears welling up in her eyes.

Professor Z stood quiet for a few moments as he contemplated on what to do. He looked at the horrified, nearly pale faces of Marshall and Corrine. _Maybe they are right…we can't go over there. But what if that thing is the object that flew across the sky a few hours ago? I have to see what it is…_Z thought. He sighed and stepped closer to his three students.

"I know you guys are terrified, but I believe that the thing that you saw could have been the object that flew across the sky a few hours ago. Remember we all decided that we would follow it no matter what?"

Lucas, Marshall, and Corrine were silent for a few moments as they thought about Z's comment.

"That may be true, Z but I think that it was a comet that shot across the sky." Lucas spoke up.

"If it was a comet, Lucas, it would have left a trail of light behind it when it shot across the sky." Z mentioned.

"Oh yeah, you're right, sorry." Lucas replied with a chuckle.

"Ever since we followed that object, it has led us to different places. We aren't lost anymore and we haven't been walking around in circles. My theory is that whatever Corrine and Marshall saw has something to do with what we are here for…" Z said.

"So you think that this thing will lead us to where Josie and Vaughn are?" Marshall inquired in disbelief.

"Yes."

"But Professor Z, that thing was chasing us! How could it help us in finding them?" Corrine asked worriedly.

Z looked at the area where Corrine and Marshall ran from. "I don't think it's chasing you now is it?" He smiled. Corrine and Marshall slowly turned around and noticed that it wasn't behind them.

"Maybe it was chasing them to prevent them from getting any closer to whatever it's protecting." Lucas mentioned.

"If it was, then it would be standing behind us. Guys if you just trust me on this, I have a hunch that we need to go back there to see what it is…or what it wants. We have no time to lose and if anything else weird or dangerous comes our way, we must investigate." Z replied in a stern tone.

Everyone looked at each other nervously. Maybe Professor Z is right…they have to see what that figure was.

"Okay Z, I agree with you. We should go see what it is. I don't want to, but if it can help us find Josie and Vaughn, then I'm willing to take the risk." Corrine suggested. "It can't hurt to look."

"I'm not sure about this you guys. What if there's more than one…We would go over there and then a gang of them could jump out and surround us…and it's goodbye to the science club…" Marshall mentioned in an overly dramatic tone.

Lucas looked over at his frightened friend and chuckled. "Oh stop being so scared and melodramatic, Marshall. It may just be only one. I'm sure if there were more they would have surrounded you and Corrine and made sure you guys didn't get away."

Lucas then stepped closer to his friend and patted him on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Why don't you stop being a scaredy cat and grow some guts for once…your girl is even braver than you!" He chuckled.

Marshall eyed him threateningly and pushed him away.

"Lucas does have a point Marshall." Professor Z began as he gathered the compass sticks and stomped on the small campfire to put it out..."Let's stop being scared and do what we have to do...Corrine and Marshall, you guys have to lead the way."

Marshall shook his head in frustration and sighed as they all began to leave the sanctuary of their campsite. Marshall stepped closer to Z as he and his girlfriend bravely led the group.

"Z I hope you're right about this…."

"I hope so too, Marshall…"

* * *

Josie awakened, for the second time that night, on a soft, cushioned floor. She slowly sat up and touched her head, remembering that she had a bleeding bump on the back of her head. She touched her head and noticed that it was bandaged. "I wonder who bandaged my head." She whispered confusedly to herself as she scanned the small, strange room. It was different from any other room she had seen. The walls were painted a soft, beige color; even the oddly cushioned floor matched the color on the wall. It resembled the other room she had been thrown inside before, but that room had cushioned walls.

Alarmed that she was once again trapped in a cell, she quickly rose to her feet. She felt dizzy, and stumbled at first, as she struggled to stand. She placed one hand on her head, for it was now throbbing a little from pain. "I have to remember never to stand up so fast next time…" She said as she took a few small steps.

When she restored her balance, she noticed that there was a small door in the corner of the room, but it seemed as though it was too small for her to fit through. She turned around to look at the walls for windows, but there weren't any.

"How am I going to get out of here?" She asked in a soft whisper as she devised a plan. "I remember…there was a trapped door under the tiles in the other room like this. Maybe there's one in here." She said hopefully as she began to tug on each of the large, cushioned tiles.

After what seemed like an eternity of tugging and nudging every tile in the room, Josie discovered that there was no trap door. She sighed in defeat and rose to her feet. A sense of hopelessness and despair began to well up inside her heart. She never thought that she would ever be in a situation like this...again. This was much worse than the time she was stuck in the alternate timeline for over a month…but at least she wasn't stuck in one room and was free to go outside. She began to think about the extreme loneliness she felt when she was trapped in the alternate timeline. But at least she had someone with her now… "Wait a minute…Vaughn… "Vaughn!" She exclaimed as she her memories of what happened earlier during her horrific ordeal came flooding back.

"I have to get Vaughn out of that room…but how? I'm trapped in here! Oh God please help me…what am I going to do?" She said as she paced the room back and forth as she thought of what to do.

"Okay Josie you can do this…just think and calm down…" She stopped pacing for a moment and took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few moments.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that there was someone standing quietly in the room next to the small door. She took one step closer and realized that it was the same figure that she saw in the other room before she blacked out. Terrified, Josie backed up against the wall, but surprisingly, the figure did not move. It stood at the door like a transparent statue, watching her, as if it was contemplating on what to do to her. Josie stared at the odd creature for a moment and felt her way around the wall, hoping that there was a switch or something that would reveal a secret passage. To her disappointment, there wasn't one. She continued to watch the figure, daring never to remove her eyes from it. She examined it further and realized that this was also the same figure she saw in the movie, in her room, and also in the library. "This is not real…tell me this is all just a dream…"

At that moment, Josie realized that she had to do something…she knew that she couldn't keep running away from it or else her ordeal would never be over. She placed her paralyzing fear aside and decided to do something brave...for her life, as well as Vaughn's, were dangerously at stake…

**A/N: Hmmm...What is Josie going to do? What will the phantom do to her? Stay tuned for more coming soon! Thanks for reading!**


	24. On an Endless Road to Nowhere

**A/N Hey guys! I am so so sorry to update so late! I had serious writer's block and I was busy posting my other story. I am so happy to see that you guys are still interested in this fic and I shall continue it until the end! So enough about my excuses. Read and enjoy!**

* * *

"Josie's room should be right around this corner." Ryan said as he and Vaughn walked out of the elevator and made their way down the dimly lit hallway. The thought of seeing Josie once again caused Vaughn's heart to pound uncontrollably in his chest. _"God, please let that serum work…please_." He whispered, as they finally approached the room that held Josie's lifeless body.

"This is it. Are you ready Vaughn?" Ryan asked as he turned to Vaughn and placed his hand on the doorknob.

"As ready as I'll ever be…" He replied, swallowing a painful lump in his throat.

Ryan nodded his head and slowly opened the door…

* * *

"We were right here when we saw that thing…" Marshall said in a shaken voice.

Lucas and Z glanced around the wooded area to see if they could catch a glimpse of the phantom.

"Looks pretty clear to me. Where exactly was it standing?" Z inquired.

"Over there…behind that huge tree." Corrine replied, pointing to a peculiar tree that stood away from the others. Professor Z took a few steps closer to the tree, trying to find evidence of anything that once stood there. He examined the ground around the tree, and its branches, and concluded that there was no way possible that it could have formed a silhouette of a figure in the moonlight. Lucas, Corrine, and Marshall watched silently as Z quietly investigated the area.

"What do you think he's doing?" Marshall whispered into Corrine's ear. Corrine flinched and let out a small giggle. Marshall eyed her perplexedly.

"Why did you laugh? I don't see anything funny…"

"I'm laughing because it tickles me when you whisper into my ear." Corrine replied bashfully. Marshall grinned deviously and placed an arm around his girlfriend.

"Oh yeah? I never knew that…maybe I should do that more often…" He whispered seductively into her ear again, causing her to giggle once more.

Lucas glanced over at his friends and noticed their unusual behavior. "What are you guys doing? We're supposed to be investigating, not canoodling. Man...you guys _really_ need to get a room!"

Marshall glanced over at his best friend and smirked. "Well maybe you _really_ need to get a girl!"

Lucas rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm outta here…damn weirdos." He quipped under his breath. He turned away from his friends and noticed that Z was now searching behind a bush. _I wonder if he found anything yet?_ He thought as he made his way over to Z…

* * *

"Are you sure that this is the room? I don't remember it looking this way." Vaughn said as they stepped into the darkness.

"Yeah I'm sure. See? There's the other door with a window. We were on the other side." Ryan replied, pointing to the door.

"Where are the lights? I can't see anything." Vaughn said as he felt the walls for a light switch.

"Wait! Don't turn on the lights. We don't want anyone noticing that we're in here." Ryan exclaimed.

"Then how are we gonna see in the dark without some sort of light?"

"With this." Ryan said as he clicked on a small lamp sitting on an end table.

Vaughn looked at him confusedly. "Don't you think that they'll notice us with that light, too?"

Ryan smiled knowingly at his question. "Nope. The reason why we can't turn on the wall lights is because they are monitored. The rooms on this floor are only used for scheduled "surgeries" and the lights help keep track of who is in each room."

"But how? Wouldn't that light give off a signal or something?" Vaughn asked.

"No, because it doesn't contain a special tracking chip inside the bulb. This is just an old, broken down lamp that can't do anything but emit dim light. The intensity of this lamp is too low to set off any alarm." Ryan replied confidently.

"But what if someone walks past this room and sees that this light is on?"

"Don't worry, if they do, they'll just think that someone is cleaning up or something. Besides, no one ever comes on this floor unless they have permission from Middleton."

"Oh…" Vaughn replied.

They both turned around and looked around the room. There was ordinary operating room equipment that one may find in a regular hospital scattered throughout the area. They both quietly walked to the other side of the room to find the table where Josie lay. Vaughn was the first one to spot two tables lying on the far right corner.

"I think she's over there!" Vaughn said enthusiastically as he stepped closer to one of the tables…

* * *

"Find anything yet?" Lucas asked.

"No phantom…but I found something peculiar. I found what appears to be some sort of trail that leads through the woods." Z replied as he grabbed a stick and made his way over to the freshly made path.

"So how are Corrine and Marshall holding up?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "They're making out as usual." He retorted as he glanced back at his friends, who were now engaged in a heated kiss.

Z chuckled and shook his head as he came across the trail. Lying on the ground, appeared to be a glob of slime that littered the area. Z bent down and carefully picked up a piece of the goo with a stick and examined it closely.

"Ugh…what is that stuff? It reeks! It smells like Marshall's dirty socks!" Lucas said as he quickly covered his nose. Z quickly placed a handkerchief on his nose and stood up, with the goo dangling precariously on his stick.

"I'm not so sure, but something tells me that whatever was here left it."

"So you think that that phantom-ghost thing left it behind?" Lucas asked wide eyed.

"Maybe…but an animal of some sort could have left it behind as territorial marks."

"I think whatever it is left a trail behind so that it we could follow it." Lucas suggested.

"Eww gross…what is that?" Corrine asked as she and Marshall stood next to Z.

"Dude…what's that smell? Lucas did you cut one loose again?" Marshall asked as he fanned one of his hands and covered his nose with the other. Lucas eyed his best friend in annoyance.

"No you idiot…it's that glob that Z's holding." Lucas retorted snidely.

"Z…what are you doing with that? Where did you get that from?" Corrine asked in an appalled tone as she covered her nose.

"I got it over there on the ground…where you guys said the phantom stood." Z replied, trying not to gag.

"Well put it back! It could be its poop or something!" Marshall exclaimed.

"I don't think so…this stuff seems to be part of the trail that leads through the woods. Now I'm guessing that whatever left this…phantom or animal, either wants someone to follow it or stay away." Z suggested as he pointed down at the trail.

"This could be a long shot but I'm guessing that the reason why the phantom appeared to us was because it wants us to follow it." Corrine spoke up.

Marshall shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know, Corrine. It chased us remember?"

"No it didn't, Marshall. If it had, the trail of this slime would have led in the direction of where you two ran." Z said replied reassuringly.

"I agree with Corrine. I think it does want us to follow it." Lucas replied as he glanced at Corrine. "Who knows where it may lead us?"

"It probably wants to lead us to our deaths." Marshall mumbled.

"So it's settled…we follow the trail." Z said with a wry smile.

Marshall shook his head in disagreement once more. "No it's not settled, Z…this is a bad idea…"

Z sighed and shook his head. "Marshall, we have to go. We have no other choice…"

"Who knows, it can still lead us closer to Josie and Vaughn." Corrine said optimistically.

"You guys aren't hearing me…" Marshall began.

As Professor Z and Corrine continued to argue with Marshall, something kept urging Lucas to look towards the wooded area where the slime lay. Off in the distance, an eerie light flickered twice. An unsettling feeling welled up inside Lucas as he realized that something was approaching them at lightning speed.

"Uh….guys…" He whispered in a shaky voice, but his friends continued to argue, ignoring his call.

"Guys!"

* * *

Vaughn quickly ripped the sheet off of the operating table, only to find it empty. "Where is she?" He said as he frantically made his way over to the other table, only to stop dead in his tracks.

Ryan quickly ran over to where he stood and noticed what Vaughn was staring at.

"Oh no…don't tell me." Vaughn said as he walked over to the other side.

Lying on the floor was the sheet that once covered Josie's cold, lifeless body. Next to the sheet lay metal operating tools scattered everywhere. Ryan walked over to Vaughn.

"What the hell happened? Who could have taken her? She was right here where we left her! Dammit we're too late!" Ryan exclaimed as he kicked over a waste basket, spilling out its contents. Vaughn stood motionless in paralyzing disbelief. Hot tears began to form in his eyes as his hope of rescuing Josie was crushed.

"She's gone…isn't she?" He said, turning to Ryan.

Ryan lowered his head somberly. "Sorry man…"

Vaughn nodded his head and turned back around. His eyes scanned the floor for evidence of who could have taken his beloved friend. The way the tools were scattered on the floor could only let Vaughn believe that there was a struggle between Josie and her attackers. His gaze suddenly settled on something peculiar splattered on the floor. Wiping away tears from his eyes, he slowly walked over to the other side of the room, following the trail of spots that led to the other door with the window. Vaughn bent down and lightly touched the fluid on the floor. Ryan watched his friend closely and stood by Vaughn, who was kneeling on the floor.

"It's blood…Josie's blood." He said lowly as he rubbed the liquid on this thumb and index finger. He stood up and faced Ryan, who now had a horrified expression on his face.

"It looks like the trail leads out of the door. Do you want to follow it?" Ryan asked carefully.

Vaughn nodded his head. "Yeah…I gotta find her. Something tells me that we shouldn't give up…and I'm not about to take that risk."

Ryan nodded his head in agreement and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Alright man…let's go…"

* * *

**A/N So how did you like it? Sorry I took so long. Next chapter won't take so long. I'm starting to think that when I don't stress over what to write, my creativity comes out much easily. Well, once again, thanks for reading! Thanks for sticking with this story for a whole year and a few months! Take care!**


	25. They Come

**A/N: Hey guys ready for another chapter? SOrry I took so long to post! I guess I don't want to conclude this story yet, but the time is coming soon! So read and enjoy!**

* * *

After traveling through the seemingly endless vortex, Victor Pearson finally reached his destination. A bright flash illuminated the foreign woods as the wormhole spit Victor out onto the ground, causing him to roll a few feet towards a bush. When his momentum finally stopped, he slowly stood up, dizzy and slightly confused. After a few moments, he meticulously brushed the dirt off of his suit. When the last drop of dirt was flicked off of his jacket sleeve, he looked around the dark, wooded area. There were trees all around him. He looked up at the sky and noticed that it was nightfall. He also noticed that the sky seemed different than the one he was familiar with back home. The stars seemed much bigger and brighter and the moon seemed close enough to touch. 

"Where in God's name am I?" He whispered into the darkness. He scanned the area once more as he desperately tried to figure out which way to start walking. "I must find Vaughn and the others. There's no time to lose." He told himself as he turned around.

Just then, he saw something peculiar. He stepped through a few trees to get a better look. What he saw appeared to be some sort of red light flickering in the distance. "What is that?" He said as he stepped out of the woods and into a clearing. He walked through the pathway and into another thicket of woods. Every careful, slow step turned into a frantic, slow jog. His heart began to race from anxiety. He had no idea what he was doing or where he was going, but he knew that the light would ultimately lead him to Vaughn and Josie. A few moments later, the light stopped blinking. Confused, he searched the area and realized that he had reached his destination, and what he found nearly stopped his heart…

* * *

"Watch out guys!" Lucas yelled as he ducked to the ground. 

Corrine, Marshall, and Professor Z looked at Lucas and noticed the bright light that was heading towards them.

"Get down guys!" Z yelled and he pushed his two students down onto the ground and hovered over them. Both Corrine and Marshall let out an anguished scream.

"What is that?" Marshall yelled.

"I don't know! Stay down and shut up!" Lucas yelled.

"Calm down guys. If we stay calm and still, nothing will hurt us." Z said reassuringly.

Lucas lay face down on the ground and covered his face, while Corrine and Marshall huddled together on the ground under Professor Z. As they lay still on the cold terrain, a gust of wind blew over them, making a roaring sound. Corrine screamed and in response, Marshall screamed a little louder and held her tighter. After a few moments, all was still. The wind calmed down, and the noise was gone. Lucas slowly moved his hands away from his face and looked up. He carefully scanned the area and saw nothing out of the ordinary, except the moonlit sky.

Mustering up all the courage in his nerve-stricken body, Lucas sat up.

"Guys…guys!" He whispered. "It's all clear. You can get up now."

Z was the first one besides Lucas to move. He popped up his head and looked over at Lucas. He slowly got up from on top of Corrine and Marshall, who were still huddled together on the ground, shaking.

"You can get up now, guys." Z said, tapping Corrine and Marshall on the shoulders. They did not move. "Marshall, Corrine it's safe…get up we have to go."

Corrine slowly lifted her head and looked up, meeting Z's gaze. "Are you sure it's safe, Z?"

"Yes Corrine, it's safe." Z said as he extended his hand for her to grab. As Corrine tried to release herself from Marshall's tight hold, he hugged her waist even tighter, causing her to lie back down on her stomach.

" Marshall let go. I can't get up." She said as she tugged on his arm.

"No Corrine, it's not safe…that thing may come back!" Marshall replied nervously.

Lucas walked over to his friends and removed Marshall's arm from around Corrine's waist. Z grabbed Corrine's hands and helped her stand, while Marshall curled up into a frightened ball on the ground.

" Marshall get up. Please we have to go!" Z said in his commanding, teacher voice.

Lucas grabbed Marshall's arms and attempted to lift him up to stand, but it was of no use. "A little help here, guys?" Lucas said to Z and Corrine.

After five attempts to uncoil Marshall's frightened body, he finally stood up. The frightened, childlike expression on his face made everyone, but Marshall burst into laughter.

"Dude! You really gotta get a hold of yourself!" Lucas laughed. "You scream even louder than Corrine!"

Marshall eyed Lucas angrily and rolled his eyes. "Shut up Lucas."

Corrine stepped closer to her boyfriend and gave him a comforting hug. "Never mind Lucas. I don't think you scream louder than me." When Marshall's eyes met hers, she couldn't help but break out into laughter. Marshall frowned for a moment and then began to laugh.

"I really hate you guys." He said as he wrapped his arm around Corrine.

"Aww…is Marshall's little feelings hurt? Do you need a hug?" Lucas replied teasingly, extending his arms out to hug his friend. Marshall backed away and shook his head.

"Dude…that's not cool."

"Alright guys, enough. We have to go." Z suggested.

"What the heck was that thing?" Marshall asked as he wearily looked around the area and up towards the sky.

"I don't know, but whatever it was… it was pretty scary." Corrine chimed in.

"Lucas did you get a good look at what it was?" Z asked.

"Nope…I saw something that looked like a bright light in the distance and then that thing started zooming towards us." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe it was that phantom thing Corrine and I saw." Marshall assumed.

Z nodded his head in agreement as he tapped his chin with his finger, deep in thought. "Maybe it was, but it's too hard to tell."

"You know what I think…" Lucas began as he looked in the direction of where the light came. "I think that maybe something landed over there, causing that bright light."

"How do you explain that thing coming at us nearly taking our heads off if it was just a light?" Marshall asked.

"Yeah…how do you explain all of the wind that came once that object flew over us?" Corrine asked.

"I think I can explain this phenomenon." Z said as he tapped his chin, deep in thought. "Perhaps it wasn't an object flying towards us. I'm guessing, like Lucas hypothesized, that something landed over there, causing a bright light and a gust of wind."

Marshall, Corrine, and Lucas looked at their Professor. "You don't think that a wormhole somehow opened over there, do you?" Marshall asked.

Z nodded his head. "It is quite possible, Marshall. You see, when something travels through the wormhole, it spits out the object and in essence, a bright light appears and a gust of wind comes along with it."

"So if something did come out of the wormhole, who could it be?" Lucas asked.

They all looked at each other as they thought over the possibility of who or what could have come out the wormhole.

"There's only one way to find out, you guys." Corrine began. "We have to keep walking in that direction of where the light came. Something tells me that we are closer to Josie and Vaughn than we think."

Z nodded his head. "Corrine's right. Let's go."

They all walked carefully towards the direction of the supposed wormhole. What they will find over there will leave them in shock…

* * *

Victor couldn't believe his eyes. He blinked a few times and pinched himself, making sure he wasn't dreaming. 

"This can't be possible…" He said as he stepped closer to the object. What he saw was an exact replica of his beloved Pearadyne Labs. The building was huge. It seemed to stretch all the way up to the heavens and have the length of five football fields. Victor was in pure shock, awe, and terror as he continued to look on speechlessly at the building.

"Who could have? What's the meaning of all this!" He said angrily as he walked over to the double doors. He touched the sides of the building to see if it was truly there. It seemed to be made out of some type of titanium steel, as if who ever built it wanted it to be indestructible. Victor's lab contrasted in so many ways to this replica. His was not made out of titanium steel and it wasn't as tall or as wide. He looked up at the doorway and notice the inscription etched in large letters across the front: PEARADYNE LABS II.

"Impossible!" Victor said under his breath. As more rage grew inside his body, he knew he had to find a way inside. His intuition kept egging him on, for he knew that Josie and Vaughn were somehow trapped inside of that monstrosity. He carefully looked around the corners of the door, making sure there were no cameras. When he didn't find any, he carefully placed his hands on one of the doors. It suddenly opened. Being very careful, Victor backed away to the corner, making sure there was no one in sight. When he realized that the front entrance was deserted, he slowly walked inside.

The hallway was dimly lit. On the left side, there was a small lounge area with recliners and a coffee table. Next to the lounge area seemed to be a room or some sort of cafeteria. On the right side, there was a receptionist desk. The whole interior reflected his old lab down to a tee. Victor walked further down the hall and saw a fork in the road. There were two elevators on each side of him. Straight ahead was a door that said restricted. "That's odd." He thought. "I never had a restricted area right here." He knew at that moment that whatever that secluded area was; it was where Vaughn and Josie were possibly imprisoned. He walked over to the door and went inside. What he found was another desolate area. He walked down the dimly lit hall and came across another fork. There was a stairway that led downstairs and another that led upstairs. He turned around, looking carefully over his shoulders making sure no one was around.

"They've got to be here somewhere." Victor said as he approached the downward staircase. It was at that moment he was startled by a voice…a voice he thought he'd never hear again.

"Oh so if it isn't Victor Pearson…It's so nice of you to visit. I was expecting you…"

Victor quickly turned around and faced the owner of the familiar voice. It was the one person he thought he'd never see again…

* * *

"I think we're walking aimlessly again, Z." Marshall whined as they all made their way through the thicket of forest. 

"No we're not Marshall, look." Lucas said as he pointed in the direction ahead of them. They all stopped and noticed a clearing.

"Come on let's go!" Corrine said as she began to jog out into the clearing.

"Wait up Corrine!" Marshall said as they ran after her. At that same time, Z spotted something blinking in the distance.

"What is that?" He asked. Lucas, Marshall, and Corrine looked at what Z was pointing to.

"It looks like some sort of red light…you don't think someone's pointing a laser trying to kill us?" Marshall said nervously.

"No…the light's blinking. We have to go follow it." Z replied as he led them through the clearing and into another thicket of forest again.

After a few moments, the light stopped blinking. They searched frantically around the area to see where it had went.

"Oh great, now we're lost yet again!" Marshall whined.

"No we're not…look!" Lucas said excitedly as he led them through the trees.

When they walked past the last tree, they came across the most magnificent building they'd ever seen in their lives. They were all too awe-struck to speak.

"Whoa…what is this place?" Marshall asked as he attempted to look how far the building rose into the sky.

"It looks like some sort of lab." Corrine suggested.

Z approached the building first. His student followed closely behind him.

Z looked up over the huge double doors and noticed the inscription. "Look at what the inscription says."

Corrine, Lucas, and Marshall all read the inscription simultaneously. "Pearadyne Labs II!"

"But I thought there was only _one_?" Marshall asked.

"So did I." Z replied.

"How did Victor Pearson manage to build another one? Why did he have to build one in this dimension?" Marshall asked.

"Ah ha! I knew it! I knew he probably had something to do with this all along!" Lucas suspected.

"No he didn't Lucas. Why would he kidnap his own son and Josie? That doesn't make any sense!" Corrine suggested.

"I know for a fact that Victor Pearson did not build this." Z said as he walked over to the building and touched its sides. "This seems to be made from titanium steel. Victor's lab was made from regular brick siding. Whoever built this wants to protect it for some reason. Someone stole the blueprint to Victor's lab and made it even ten times bigger than the first Pearadyne."

"Who would do this if it wasn't Victor?" Lucas asked.

Z looked at his students as he thought long and hard about it. "I don't know, Lucas. But something tells me that whoever did was Victor's former colleague ."

"Do you think it's Avenir again?" Marshall asked.

"No…he's trapped in another dimension far from here."

"Then who can it be?" Corrine asked.

"I guess we have to go in and find out." Z suggested as they walked over to the doors.

"I have a feeling Josie and Vaughn are inside." Corrine said as she placed her hands on the door.

At the same time, the doors opened. They all jumped from surprise at first. They peered inside and slowly walked in. The doors suddenly shut automatically. Z turned to his students and whispered.

"Alright guys…this is it. We must stay together. Try not to get separated. We need to find Josie and Vaughn and come right back out. I have a feeling that we are in extremely more danger than the last time and we must all come out."

"What if we get separated Z? Then what do we do?" Marshall asked worriedly.

"Then we all meet here in the lobby or outside. Whatever you do, stay close and quiet. I have a feeling that we will be in here for a while." Z said as he bravely turned around and led his students to the unknown dangers that lurked in the shadows…

* * *

A**/N: So how did you like it? Do you know who Victor came face to face with? Will they ever find Josie and Vaughn? Do you think the remaining science club members will become separated? Find out soon! There's more to come! I'll try not to update so late next time! Thanks for reading!**


	26. Beautiful Dreamer

**A/N: Hey guys! Ready for another exciting chapter! Sorry for the long wait! In this chapter, I just wanted to show what's been going on with Durst,the janitor and also Josie. There are a few more exciting chapters and then the end! Thanks to all who have read and reviewed! That means a lot to me! So read and enjoy! **

* * *

Back at Blake Holsey, life continued on as usual…so it seemed. It had been approximatelyfour weeks since the whole science club had disappeared. Principal Durst was not the only one who'd noticed their extensive absence. Other teachers and administrators in the school were speculating about the missing students' whereabouts. To put more stress on the situation, students were spreading more outrageous rumors about what could have happened to them. Some students believed that Professor Z kidnapped them and took them to a remote island in the Pacific. Other rational minded students believed that Professor Z quit and as a result, his science club followed him. Little did they know, Professor Z, the science club, and now Victor Pearson were worlds away fighting for their lives… 

Principal Durst tried her best to ignore the rumors and avoid everyone's questions, but as always, she had to give in. Lucas's father, along with Marshall's mother and Corrine's parents were calling frantically for their children. Durst wouldn't dare tell them that they were missing. She devised a clever, yet deceptive plan by making three students pretend to be Corrine, Lucas, or Marshall whenever their parents would call. When Josie's mother came for an unexpected visit, Durst had to literally stop her from entering the school. She lied to Kelly Trent that the school was being fumigated and that no one was allowed inside. She felt awful about deceiving them, but drastic times calls for drastic measures and she had to do everything in her power to keep everything under control.

She had been up in arms ever since her last talk with Victor about the whereabouts of Professor Z and his students. She knew in her heart that all was not well, but she had to keep telling herself the same lie that nothing was wrong with Blake Holsey…when in reality, it was. She wondered about Victor's whereabouts. She hadn't seen him since their brief, awkward meeting approximately a week ago. She remembered the horrific expression in his eyes when she asked him if everything was alright. _"Just pray for us."_ He said to her just before he'd left.

"What on earth is going on here? I have a teacher and five of my best students missing. And now the school chancellor has gone missing, too! I've got to find out what is going on!" She thought as she sat at her desk. After a few agonizing minutes, she got up and walked over to the window. She spotted the janitor sitting alone at a bench a few yards away. His demeanor seemed more awkward than usual. He appeared to be anxious, as if he was guilty about something. It finally occurred to Durst at that moment that the janitor was hiding something, and she knew it had to do with what was happening at the school.

"Ah ha! I think I know who I can ask about what's going on here!" She said as she quickly made her way over to the door and left her office.

* * *

"What are you?" Josie asked the dark figure standing in the doorway. It did not answer her. 

"Tell me what you are and why you kidnapped me and Vaughn!" It still didn't answer her.

Josie was growing angry. Her head was slightly pounding from getting hit on the head by a wrench. To make matters worse, she still didn't have any answers to what was going on. She kept her eyes on the figure. She took one step closer to see if it was real. It didn't move when she approached it. Just then, it extended its arm back, pointing down the hall. Josie was startled for a moment, but then realized that it was pointing to something.

"What are you pointing to?"

The figure slowly backed out of the door and into the hallway. Josie carefully followed it and looked both ways before stepping out of the room and into the hallway.

"You want me to follow you don't you?" She asked. It took a few steps backwards with its arm still extended. Josie walked closer but then stepped back, for she had a feeling that all was not right.

"Wait a minute. Why do you want me to follow you? You could be leading me into a trap!"

The figure shook its head, answering "no". It then stepped back a few steps. Josie kept her eyes fixated on the creature, studying its demeanor. Thoughts were running through her conflicted mind as she tried to decide if she should take a risk and let the phantom lead her to what it was pointing to. "_Maybe it's leading me to Vaughn…or trying to lead me to safety?_" She thought. At that moment, she made her decision.

"Okay, I'll follow you…but you'd better be taking me either to Vaughn or to someone who can help us get out of here." She said as she carefully followed the phantom down the hall…

* * *

As Principal Durst made her way through the busy halls to the front door, something stopped her. She overheard two students discussing the day when Josie and Vaughn disappeared. 

"But I thought you said you didn't see anything?" One voice said, slightly confused.

"I did see something…a bright white light. But before that, I saw Josie and Vaughn walk inside the library like an hour before the light came." The other voice said.

Durst's heart stopped beating. She recognized the two students talking to be Neil McAllister and Max Tipton. She was shocked and confused by what she was hearing.

_A light? Could that have something to do with why the science club and Victor Pearson left?_ She thought. She quietly stood in the hall and continued to listen to the two student's conversation.

"Why didn't you tell Marsh everything that you saw?" Neil asked.

"I did tell him what I'd seen. I just didn't tell him that I saw someone else in the room with them before they disappeared." Max replied somberly.

Neil looked at his friend in bewilderment. "What? Who did you see?"

"It's hard to explain, but I saw someone standing in the book aisle watching them. I couldn't really tell who it was because I was standing in the hallway and the door wasn't open all the way." Max replied.

"So you didn't see where they went?" Neil asked.

"No. I left about two minutes later to come back and play chess with you. But before I left, the janitor walked to the door. He was acting weird…even weirder than he normally is."

Neil was speechless and horrified. He realized that there was something going on.

"I feel bad, man. It's my entire fault. I didn't think anything of it. I should have told someone." Max said somberly.

"Don't worry it's not your fault. We have to do something…"

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary." Durst spoke up as she walked over to them.

"Oh hello Principal Durst." Neil and Max said simultaneously.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Did you witness something happening to Mr. Pearson and Ms. Trent?" Durst asked Max.

"I didn't _technically _see something happen to them…I left when I saw the janitor standing at the door. Actually, when I came back down the hall, a few minutes later, that's when I saw the bright light." Max replied.

Durst was taken aback. Her mind was reeling from what she'd discovered. _So the janitor does know about what's going on_. _He must have something to do with this_! She thought. At that moment, she knew she had to confront the janitor before more people began to disappear from the school.

"Mr. McAllister and Mr. Tipton, I do not want you mentioning anything we've just discussed. I don't want the students or faculty members knowing that there's something going on here. Bad enough, they keep asking me about the whereabouts of the science club. I do not want either of you doing anything about this. I will handle everything. Is that understood?" Durst ordered sternly.

"Yes Ms. Durst." The frightened freshmen replied.

Durst smiled smugly. "Very well then, off to class." She said as she began to walk away.

She walked outside of the front double doors of the school. She immediately spotted the janitor walking towards the back of the school. She quickly walked over to him, making sure he wouldn't get away.

"Excuse me! Gene! I must speak with you for a moment!"

The janitor stopped in his tracks. His heart skipped a beat as more anxiety welled up in his body. As Durst approached him, he wondered what she wanted.

"Gene, I must speak with you about something very important." Durst replied breathlessly.

"Sure Ms. Durst what is it?"

"I was informed that approximately four weeks ago you witnessed something happening in the library."

The janitor widened his eyes. He was shocked and knew in his heart that he was caught. _Who could have told her?_ He thought. Then he remembered seeing one freshman boy in the hallway with him, and he knew who told. He tried his best to remain calm, but the unrelenting weight of guilt and remorse overcame him.

"I'm sorry Principal Durst…I couldn't do anything to save them…he wanted them. They were…"

Ms. Durst looked at him confusedly. "What? What are you talking about, Gene?"

"Josie and Vaughn…they were taken. I was ordered to make sure that they were rid of. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He sobbed.

Durst was horrified. She was not sure about what was going on, but whatever it was, she knew if the parents or faculty found out about it, the doors of Blake Holsey would be forced to close.

"Who could have kidnapped them? Why?" She asked.

The janitor was hesitant at first, and then answered her. "Professor Middleton..."

Durst's eyes widened with surprise. "Middleton? What would he…? But why Josie and Vaughn?"

"I can't tell you Ms. Durst. Just know that Professor Zachary and his science club are searching for them." He replied bluntly.

"Where are they? Is Victor Pearson with them, too?"

"They are somewhere you can't go. Victor Pearson has gone, too."

"Well we can't just stand here and do nothing! We must do something!" Durst shouted.

"We can't do anything but wait. I'm sure they will be successful."

Durst looked at him with disbelief and annoyance. "Now you listen to me, something will be done to get them back! I am at my wit's end lying to these parents and everyone else here at the school! I will not let Blake Holsey be shut down because you refuse to do nothing about this! This is a serious matter, Gene! Either you do something or else…"

Gene kept his eyes fixated on Durst the whole time she yelled at him. He knew that something could be done to bring them back, but that would mean that he would have to risk his life and betray Middleton even more than what he'd already done. He was the only one who knew how to permanently stop Middleton, but he hoped Victor would find out before it was too late. The fact is, it was now too late, and he knew that he would have to go through the wormhole and stop Middleton himself.

"…Did I make myself clear, Gene?" Durst asked threateningly.

Gene snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Durst blankly. "Everything's clear Principal Durst…crystal clear."

Durst looked at him one last time and turned around, heading back to the front doors of the school. Gene watched as she walked inside. His head was spinning from his conflicting mind. Should he risk his life and stop Middleton? Or should he just sit and wait anxiously for them to return? Either way, he knew that he was in a no-win situation and his life, as well as the others, were in serious peril…

* * *

Josie and the phantom finally reached the end of the long, dimly lit hallway. She looked at the creature and realized that it was pointing to a sign on the door. 

"What are you trying to show me?" She asked as she stepped closer to the door.

It remained silent and kept pointing to the sign.

"Are you trying to show me who is behind all of this craziness?"

The phantom nodded it head "yes".

Josie shifted her gaze between the phantom and the door, making sure it wouldn't do anything deceptive and trap her. The lack of enough light in the hall made it difficult to make out the words on the door. She stepped closer, and to her horror, finally learned the identity of her and Vaughn's captor.

"Professor Middleton…"

* * *

**A/N: So how did you like it? If you guys remember from chapter 10, I brought two characters back. I know chapter 10 was like last year, but I thought it would be nice to bring back those two boys so that Durst will finally know what was going on. So do you think the janitor will go through the wormhole? What else will Josie discover as she's lead by the phantom? Stay tuned! There's more to come! Thanks again for reading!**


	27. Darkness and Danger Awaits Thee

**A/N: Hey guys! I would first like to start off by saying sorry for the eternity it took me to update! I've been busy and lazy and I am so mad at myself for the late update! Once again, here is my new chapter! It's long, about 8 pages, but it's very action packed! This story is nearing it's end since I've been working on it for almost 2 years!!! Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed this fic! It's because of you guys that I've discovered a love for fanfiction! It's not easy to write a story! So...read and review! **

* * *

An hour or so after discovering that Josie's body was missing; Vaughn and Ryan continued their desperate search to find her on another floor. They'd just completed searching the entire fourth floor. Luckily, it was deserted; permitting them to thoroughly search the entire area without any problem. They decided to split up in order to save time. It was a smart choice to make, because if one of them was to get caught, the other would be free to have a fighting chance to save himself and Josie... 

An hour elapsed. Vaughn reached his last room, which was oddly hidden in a dark, secluded area of the hallway. He carefully approached the door. As soon as he opened it, he spotted something lying motionless on the floor. When he stepped further inside, he noticed that the object was in a fetal position, covered by a white sheet. He immediately knew that it was a body.

"Josie!" He exclaimed as he ran inside and knelt down beside the still form. He carefully pulled back the sheet. His heart was pounding in his chest as he slowly pulled the sheet off, revealing a female hand. When the entire body was finally revealed, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. It was in fact, the body of a fully clothed female, but it was not the female he was looking for. It was someone he'd never seen before in his life. He carefully swept a lock of golden hair away from the girls' face. She was very pale. Her lips were blue and she appeared to be around his age.

"Who the hell is this?" Vaughn asked aloud as he stood.

Ryan happened to be walking down the hall after he'd finished searching his side of the floor when he heard Vaughn's echo. He immediately ran to find out if Vaughn was alright.

"Vaughn…are you alright?" He asked as he quickly walked inside the room towards his friend. Vaughn turned around and faced him. His horror stricken face let Ryan know that something was terribly wrong.

"What's wrong? Did you see something?" Ryan asked fearfully. Vaughn could not return an answer. Instead, he pointed down to the floor where the body of the blonde haired girl lay.

Ryan shifted his gaze from his friend's horrified face to the lifeless girl. He carefully stepped closer to get a better view. He knelt down beside her and carefully moved the girl so that she was lying flat on her back. Curious about her identity, he brushed a lock of hair away from her face and immediately recognized who it was. He quickly got up and walked out of the room, visibly shaken about what he'd seen. Vaughn immediately followed after him.

"Ryan! Ryan wait up!"

Ryan finally stopped and rested against a wall. He placed his hands over his face and bent over, as if he was in pain.

"Dude what's wrong? Who is that lying on the floor?"

Ryan took a few deep breaths before answering. For a moment, Vaughn thought that he was having some sort of panic attack. He placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Ryan…are you okay? What's going on?"

Ryan removed his hands from his face, but did not make eye contact with him.

"Tell me Ryan…was she someone you knew?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah…I knew her…Her name is…was Samantha. She was one of Middleton's interns. She worked here for a few months, but then…" Ryan lowered his head, stopping mid sentence. The shock of finding someone he knew lying dead on the floor was too much for him to handle.

"Then what? What happened to her?" Vaughn asked worriedly.

Ryan sighed and continued. "One day, I'd seen her very upset. I didn't really know her that well at first, but I asked her what was wrong, anyway. She told me that she'd seen Middleton do some sickening things to people and that she overheard him mentioning some horrible things that he was going to do to Victor Pearson."

Vaughn's eyes widened with shock. Anger began to well up in his body. "Like what?"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…she never told me. She was too scared to say. But she did tell me that after she'd realized who Middleton was, she didn't want to be here anymore. The problem is, once you work for him, you're here for life."

"Did she know that?"

"No…she asked me not to tell anyone about what she'd told me. I told her that I would try to help her get out. We agreed to meet the next day in the lobby during break time. I was going to show her the way out, but she never showed up…she just disappeared."

Vaughn shook his head in disbelief. "Someone must have overheard you two and told Middleton."

"and now she's dead…" Ryan interrupted in a somber tone.

Vaughn placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. A few seconds later, an idea came to mind. "You know what…maybe she's not dead…maybe she's like Josie…trapped in suspended animation."

Ryan widened his eyes as he thought about Vaughn's suggestion. "Maybe she is, but she's been missing for over a month and a half. I doubt her body survived this long."

"We can give her the anecdote and see. If she was dead, her body would be decomposing and reeking. Let's just see, okay?" Vaughn suggested.

Ryan glanced at the motionless girl. Guilt and remorse welled up inside his heart. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small anecdote bottle. He looked at it and then turned to Vaughn.

"Okay, we can try, but I doubt it'll work."

Vaughn smiled. "It will…trust me. We're in a totally different timeline…anything goes. Now come on, let's go." He said as they both made their way over to the body…

* * *

"Where is my son?" Victor asked Middleton in a threatening glower. 

Middleton smiled sinisterly. "Oh, you mean Vaughn? He's around here somewhere...locked up with Kelly Trent's daughter!"

Victor took one careful step closer to him. "What do you mean locked up? If anything has happened to my son or Josie I'll…"

"You'll _what_?" Middleton interrupted as he took one daring step closer to Victor. His eyes were filled with irrepressible madness.

Victor bravely stared him down, without blinking. Middleton smiled and began to laugh hysterically.

"Calm down Victor…they're alright…for _now_."

"What do you mean for now? What the hell have you done with my son and Josie Trent? Answer me!"

Middleton looked at Victor with mock sincerity. "If you must know, they're downstairs…in a part of the building I call the _dungeon_…"

Victor widened his eyes in horror. Terrible thoughts began to race through his mind at what type of torture Josie and Vaughn could have gone through the whole time they were trapped there. "Get them out of there…now!"

Middleton smirked and shook his finger condescendingly. "Tisk, tisk Victor…that's no way to ask the guard to release his prisoners. Besides, I can't let them go or else they will interfere with my plans."

"Plans? What plans?" Victor asked.

Middleton smiled and motioned for Victor to follow him down the dimly lit hallway.

"Come with me…I'll explain everything in my office."

Victor eyed him suspiciously, hesitating to follow him.

"Why can't you explain here? I'm not following you. You might lead me into a trap."

Middleton stepped closer to him with a forced, consoling smile. "No need to worry Victor, there's no trick. It's better if I tell you in my office because that's where everything started."

Middleton placed a reassuring hand on Victor's shoulder. Victor immediately shook him off.

"Shall we?" Middleton asked as he began walking in front of him.

Victor sighed and gave in to the invitation; it was all that he could do but to follow the mad professor in order to find Vaughn and Josie. What he didn't know was that his efforts to save the missing teenagers would place him in even more danger than before…

* * *

"Here…sit her upright like this while I put a few drops of the antidote in her mouth." Ryan instructed Vaughn as they began moving Samantha's lifeless body. 

Vaughn knelt down on the floor and carefully lifted her body. Her long, blonde locks slowly fell over her face.

He sat down and slowly sat Samantha upright so that her back was against his chest. She felt very cold, but not stiff. He brushed the hair away from her face and hugged her gently around the waist to prevent her from falling over.

Ryan knelt down on his knees and faced Samantha. He carefully removed the small glass bottle of antidote out of his front left pocket. He'd been silently praying to himself the entire time that their efforts of waking up the sleeping beauty would prevail. Vaughn watched Ryan intently as he handled the bottle filled with the clear, mysterious liquid. Just then, a disturbing thought came to Vaughn's mind.

"You know…I just thought of something. But it might sound a little ridiculous, but scary at the same time." Vaughn began.

Ryan cocked a brow. "What are you talking about, dude…I'm sure it can't be anything that bad."

Vaughn smiled and continued. "I was thinking…what if after you give Samantha the antidote, she becomes a different person?"

"Meaning…?"

"What if she…you know…becomes some sort of zombie or something?"

Ryan froze for a moment. The thought of Samantha changing into a zombie did sound pretty ridiculous, but at the same time, horrifying at the same time. He shook his head and chuckled.

"Dude…you've really got to stop watching those damn horror movies. Besides, the antidote won't change her into a zombie. I've seen Middleton wake a few people up after their bodies were in suspended animation."

"How long were they asleep?" Vaughn asked.

Ryan shifted his gaze from the bottle and looked at Vaughn as he realized something. Fear suddenly crept up his spine.

"Three days…"

They both looked at each other in stark silence for a moment. Vaughn's grip on Samantha loosened a little.

"And how long did you say she was missing?" Vaughn inquired fearfully.

Ryan swallowed a painful lump in his throat. "A little over a month."

"Oh…" Vaughn replied in a fearful whisper. He suddenly began to move his body away from Samantha. Ryan looked at him curiously.

"Dude…what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to distance myself from her so that if she does so happen to change into a zombie, I'll have a chance to run."

Ryan looked at the frightened jock. "What about me? You're just going to leave me here? She'll attack me if you leave!"

Vaughn looked at his friend and then began to laugh. "I'm just kidding, Ryan…"

Ryan shook his head as he tried to hold his composure. "Sit down Vaughn…We're both being idiots. Let's do this before someone catches us in here."

Vaughn nodded and sat back down. He held Samantha by her waist. Ryan carefully opened the bottle and moved closer to her face.

"Okay. Tilt her head back for me a little. I'll open her mouth. All she needs is just a few drops and then…"

"She'll be a zombie." Vaughn chimed in.

Ryan shot him a stern glare. "Haha…very funny Vaughn. Now, hold her head back for me…just a little."

Vaughn carefully tilted Samantha's head back. Ryan opened her mouth and pressed the bottle against her cold, blue lips.

Ryan looked at Vaughn before adding the drops in her mouth. "Okay…this is it…cross your fingers."

Vaughn nodded. Ryan's heart began to beat as he poured a few drops into her mouth. Vaughn's crazy idea and the possibility of their efforts failing made him break into a sweat. After the drops were safely inside her mouth, Ryan sat back and watched Samantha. Vaughn, who now had a look of fear and anticipation etched across his face, was contemplating on whether or not he should begin to back away and run. After a few agonizing ten minutes, nothing seemed to happen. The two friends looked at each other disappointedly.

"Nothing?" Vaughn asked.

"Ryan shook his head somberly. "Nothing…"

Just as they were about to give up hope, Vaughn felt something. There was an unusual warm sensation starting from his fingertips up to his arms where he still hugged Samantha. He knew that the warmth wasn't coming from inside his body, but from an outside source. He knew it could only come from Samantha.

His heart felt like it was about to jump from his chest up to his throat. He looked at Ryan.

"Uhhh…Ryan…I think something's happening."

Ryan shifted his gaze from Samantha to Vaughn. "What's happening?"

"Dude…I feel warmth and it's not coming from my body…it's coming from hers."

Ryan widened his eyes in shock. He didn't know if he should feel afraid or happy that something was finally happening. He looked at Samantha's face. Her eyes were still closed, but her lips were no longer blue…they were turning to a plush, rose color. He then gently placed his hand on her cheek. He immediately smiled and looked at Vaughn.

"She's warm!" He said as he touched her hands.

Vaughn then felt something else happening. "I think she's breathing! I could feel her chest moving!"

Just as they were about to celebrate, they heard a very unusual sound. Their smiles quickly turned into horrified frowns.

"Dude…what was that? That did not sound normal." Vaughn said as his grip began to loosen from around Samantha's waist.

Ryan looked at Samantha and then at Vaughn. "I think it came from her."

They immediately looked at each other and then towards the door, for the reality of Vaughn's ridiculous zombie theory was somehow becoming a reality.

The noise came again…but this time, it sounded like a low growl…not as animalistic as it was a few seconds ago. At that same time, Ryan noticed that Samantha had movement on her face. His eyes widened in horror. Vaughn watched him worriedly.

"What's going on? What's she doing now?"

Ryan swallowed a painful lump in his throat as he tried to respond.

"Her eyes are opening…"

* * *

How long have you been here?" Victor asked Middleton as he cautiously stepped inside Middleton's office.

Middleton stepped inside after Victor and closed the door. Victor kept a close eye on him, making sure that he didn't try to do anything to him.

"Won't you take a seat over there at my desk?" He replied as he motioned him towards a back leather seat that stood at the front of the desk.

Victor obliged and sat down. Middleton sat behind the desk and watched as Victor appeared to be in awe over the sight of his unique office.

There were diagrams of the wormhole and other pictures of what seemed to be different worlds. There were also odd mechanical devices that sat towards the back of the office behind Middleton's desk. Victor couldn't help but wonder about what atrocious things those contraptions were programmed to do.

"I see you are taking a great liking to my office Mr. Pearson." Middleton replied with a flattered smile.

"What is all of this nonsense?" Victor asked in a disgusted tone.

"Oh…these? This is not nonsense I assure you, Victor. My office and everything in it…including some other unique things in Pearadyne 2 are all part of my plan…"

"Your plan? Your plan to do what? You haven't answered my first question about how long you've been in this Godforsaken place!" Victor replied angrily.

"I was just about to answer that for you. I've been here for four years…ever since.."

"Since the day you mysteriously disappeared from Blake Holsey?"

Middleton nodded. "Precisely. You see, there was a certain object that I'm sure you are very familiar with that caused my disappearance."

Victor looked at him confusedly. After a few moments, he realized what Middleton was referring to. "The tesseract?"

"Yes…the tesseract. I knew you would remember, since you, along with our dear friend Andreas and I created it."

Victor stared at him with disdain. "How…I left you in charge of it so that it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands! You were supposed to keep it safe! You know that no one was supposed to use the Tesseract for any purpose. It's very dangerous!"

Middleton nodded his head and waved his hand, disregarding everything Victor was berating him about. "That may be all true, dear Victor, but I never intended on leaving Blake Holsey in such a disgraceful manner. I was sucked into a damn wormhole because of this thing! I was merely dusting it off, when the top popped up and then a bolt of lightning came from nowhere, connected to the tesseract and opened the wormhole in my office! Do you honestly _think _that I intended to come here…in that way? Of course, I did have plans…my own plans on starting a new Pearadyne after you and your irresponsible wife destroyed the original lab!"

Victor immediately jumped up out of his seat and leaned over on the desk, glaring Middleton in his eyes. "You leave Sarah out of this! You have no right mentioning her name!"

Middleton smiled. "I think I do…I have every right to do and say what I want! It was because of you that we lost everything at Pearadyne…our lab, our projects…our sanity! That's why Andreas and I plotted against you, Victor. You control everything! But not this time…" His smile turned even more sinister. He then lifted his hands, as if he was signaling for someone.

At that same time, Victor felt two hands grab both of his arms. He quickly looked on both sides and saw two very stocky men dressed in white uniform standing besides him.

"Let me go this instant!" He growled.

Middleton stood up and shook his head. He then walked from around his desk and stood in front of Victor.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Victor. You see I have plans…I have a future and I thought that if I sent my loyal shape shifter to kidnap Josie and Vaughn, my plans would succeed. But I knew that you would come here and try to rescue them…I don't know how you found out how to get here, but…Wait a minute…" He stopped mid sentence as he thought. "Gene!" Middleton exclaimed a dangerous rage as he knocked some books off of his desk. "He told you about how to get here, didn't he?"

Victor hesitated before answering. He knew that the janitor's life was in great danger. Victor stayed silent.

"Answer me! I know it was Gene who told you how to get here! Did he tell anyone else?"

"No." Victor replied sternly. He knew that Gene did tell someone else…Professor Zachary. He knew that he and the rest of the science club members came through the same wormhole. What he didn't know was that they were in the same building he was in…but they were far away on the other side.

"Was there anyone else who came through the vortex besides you?" Middleton asked uproariously.

Victor smirked. "No. I came alone. No one else knows about this whole debauchery but me." He lied. He wanted to do all he could to protect Professor Z and the science club; even if it meant his imminent death.

Middleton eyed him with doubt. "You're lying!" He then turned to his henchmen and smirked. "Take this lying snake in the grass away. Put him inside our deluxe suite."

The two men grabbed Victor's arms even tighter and began dragging him out of the room. Victor desperately tried to fight them off.

"Let me go! Where are you taking me!" He yelled.

Middleton stepped closer to him and smiled. "Let's just say you will be reunited with your son…in death!"

"No! You bastard! What have you done with Vaughn? You'd better not have laid a finger on him!" Victor yelled as the men dragged him out of the room and down the dimly lit hallway.

As Middleton stood in the hall with a satisfied grin on his face, another man dressed in the infamous white uniform came running down the hall.

"Sir…we have a problem…"

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh...what do you think is the problem? Did they find out that Josie and Vaughn escaped from their cell? Do you think that Vaughn and Ryan mistakenly changed Samantha into a zombie? Stay tuned...you'll find out soon! Thanks for reading. I promise that I will try to update sooner. I will not take too long...I hope! Leave me a review! Take care and thanks once again! XOXO**


	28. Your Wildest Dreams

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's another exciting chapter! I thought that I would be finished with this fic by this month, but I guess not! It's been exactly two years since I started this fic! Hopefully, I'll be done with it by the summer! So I hope you guys love it as much as I enjoyed writing it! READ AND REVIEW!**

* * *

Professor Z cautiously led his students further inside the monstrous laboratory. Z looked around, noticing that the design of the lab was similar to the old Pearadyne he was accustomed to. He found that this new, unfamiliar building varied in many ways. There were no windows like the other lab, in which he found to be very bizarre. The halls were dimly lit instead of being bright as usual. There were diagrams of unfamiliar objects hanging on the wall. He looked up towards the far corner of the wall and to his horror, spotted a small camera. He suddenly stopped in his tracks. Lucas, Corrine, and Marshall stopped too, but they did not know the reason.

"Uh, Z…why did we stop?" Lucas asked confusedly.

Z turned to his students. The serious expression on his face let them know that something was wrong.

"It seems like we're being watched." He replied in a soft whisper, pointing to the small camera.

The students slowly looked at the camera.

"You mean someone's watching us? Who?" Marshall asked fearfully.

"I don't know Marshall, but luckily, the camera isn't pointing towards us; it's turned slightly to the right. Now if I'm not mistaken, we haven't been spotted yet. So we must stir clear of being caught on camera."

At that same time, the camera began to turn towards where they were standing. Corrine quickly noticed this and warned her friends.

"The camera is moving! Quick, we have to get out of the way!" She exclaimed, prompting all of them to look at the camera.

Z quickly searched the area and found an exit. "Quick guys, over here!" He said as he ran towards the exit. His students were close behind him. Once they were safely through the door, they found themselves in what seemed to be another hallway.

"That was close." Lucas panted.

Marshall looked around the area confusedly. "Now where are we?"

"It looks like we're in another hallway." Corrine said as she took a few steps forward.

"I don't remember the old Pearadyne looking like this. There was always one main hallway like the lobby we'd just came from. This seems to be some sort of secret area." Z said as he looked around.

They were surrounded by high, pale brown walls. The hallway was lit by dim lights coming from the ceiling. As the science club walked down the long, wide hallway, they noticed that there were rooms on each side of the hall. Some of the rooms had windows, while others had none. They tried to peer into the windows to see what was inside the rooms, but it was of no use, it was too dark inside.

"This place is giving me the creeps." Marshall said as he looked around the area.

"Yeah, me too. It doesn't feel right in here. It feels like terrible things have happened here." Corrine chimed in as she walked slowly down the hall.

Lucas stopped in front of one of the rooms and peered inside the window. "I wonder what's inside." He then placed his hand on the doorknob and began to turn it. Marshall noticed what his curious friend was doing and immediately stopped him.

"Dude…what do you think you're doing?"

Lucas turned to his friend in annoyance. "What does it look like I'm doing? I want to see what's inside the room."

"Are you crazy? You can't do that!" Marshall exclaimed.

"And why not? I want to see what's really going on in this creepy place. There could be something in there…"

"What… like _aliens _or maybe dead bodies Mr. Conspiracy theorist?" Marshall teased.

Lucas sighed and rolled his eyes. "No…like Josie and Vaughn, smart ass." He then abandoned his curiosity and walked over towards Corrine and Z, who were further down the hall. Marshall followed after him.

"Guys…try to stay close and quiet. We still don't know if anyone had seen us on that camera." Z replied as he cautiously looked up towards the ceiling for more cameras.

"Who would be watching us, Z?" Corrine inquired.

"I don't know, but whoever it is, I'm sure he's very dangerous."

"Were there any cameras at the old Pearadyne, Z?" Marshall asked as they continued their walk down the long hall.

"Not that I could remember…but the only camera we had was outside in the parking lot for safety."

As they began to turn around the corner, Corrine noticed that one of the doors was open to a room.

"Hey look over there. The door is open to that room over there. Maybe we should go inside and check it out?"

They all headed towards the room until Marshall quickly walked in front and stopped them. "Whoa guys…I don't think we should go in there. I just stopped conspiracy freak over here from going into another room so that he could see some aliens." He replied, pointing to Lucas.

"Why shouldn't we go inside? That room could lead us to Josie and Vaughn, Marshall." Corrine chided.

"I know, but I have a very bad feeling about this…what if there's some sort of trap in there? Or maybe even worse, what if there's some sort of creature or some other type of thing in there?"

"And I'm the one who's a weirdo for suggesting that there's some sort of alien conspiracy going on?" Lucas chuckled.

Marshall rolled his eyes. "I'm serious…what if there's something inside waiting for us to come in so that it could grab us?"

"Marshall's right…a little too dramatic, but right." Z replied with an amused smile. "But in all seriousness guys, if we are going to check something out, we must stay together. Deal?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"So are we going inside or not?" Corrine asked.

Z thought for a moment, debating whether or not it was worth the risk. "Alright let's go. We're here to find Josie and Vaughn. Maybe this room will lead us to them? Maybe it's another hallway? There is a reason why that door is open."

Marshall shook his head in disagreement, for he knew in the pit of his stomach that something was going to happen to them once they stepped inside the dark, desolate room.

"I don't know, Z…I still don't think this is a good idea."

Lucas sighed and rolled his eyes in annoyance at his frightened friend. "Get over it, Marsh…we're going in there and that's that."

"We have to go now." Corrine said, looking at Z.

Z nodded in agreement. "Let's go...we can't waste any more time."

Corrine led the way down the hall. Marshall quickly caught up to her and held her hand. She looked at him and smiled, for she knew that he was definitely scared. He smiled back.

"Just in case something grabs you, I want to be close to you to fight it off." He replied, knowing that the real reason he was holding her hand was because of his fear of the unknown.

"Oh brother." Lucas sighed, rolling his eyes as they approached the room."

"Okay guys, this is it." Corrine said, facing everyone.

They all looked at each other, hearts beating a million miles a minute. Z nodded and led the way inside the dark room. Little did they know that they should have heeded to Marshall's warning about going inside the room…

* * *

"Professor Middleton?" Josie said in disbelief as she stood in front of the infamous professor's office door. Unbeknownst to her, Vaughn had already been in the same room hours ago and what he found would also disturb her...

She slowly opened the door and went inside; looking around in awe at how spacious the room was inside. "This has got to be the largest office I've ever been in. It's like a freaking apartment!" She exclaimed as she quietly closed the door, venturing further inside. She suddenly noticed the phantom standing at the desk pointing to something. She immediately walked over.

"What are you trying to show me?"

The phantom remained silent, but continued pointing down at the desk. Josie looked down and saw pictures and diagrams sprawled everywhere. She picked up blue prints of what seemed to be a lab.

"Pearadyne _two_? I thought that Victor was the only one who wanted to restore the old Pearadyne that was destroyed in the explosion?"

The phantom shook its head no. Josie then sifted through more diagrams of weird looking objects and creatures.

"What is this stuff? What the hell goes on here?"

She finally came across something that made her heart stop. It was pictures of her mother and Vaughn's parents, along with other people who worked at the old Pearadyne. She noticed that there were red markings on her mom's face, as well as on Vaughn's parents' faces.

"Why are their faces exed out?" She asked, studying the picture very intently. "That could only mean that someone wants to hurt them…maybe Middleton wants them dead!" She then sifted through every picture, and still found their faces exed out. She then came across one picture of Victor Pierson and Andreas Avenir shaking hands.

"They were _friends_? Why would Victor be friends with Avenir?" She then noticed another person standing to the far right in the photo, glaring at Victor and Avenir. The man was unfamiliar to her. He was a short man with glasses and by the malevolent expression on his face, he didn't seem too happy that the men were friendly with each other. She studied the man closely, trying to figure out his identity. At first glance, he looked like the janitor, but he was too short to be him. It then dawned on her that it was her captor.

"_This_ is Professor Middleton? This is the guy who kidnapped me and Vaughn? This short, geeky freak?" She asked angrily. She looked at the phantom who nodded yes. "If I would have known that he looked like this, Vaughn and I could have taken him down in a second!"

She then placed the picture back down onto the desk and turned to the phantom. "I don't understand…why me and Vaughn? What do we have that he needs?"

She then got her answer when the phantom pointed to what seemed to be a letter on the table. Josie picked up the sheet and began reading it.

_Dear Avenir…_

_The time has come to do something about Victor. Since it is obvious that you two are no longer friends, perhaps we can team up to destroy him. Perhaps ruin his work that he claims he's done for many years. We can take him down…you and I. Maybe we can destroy the lab? Or perhaps kidnap his wife or his young son. But wait, we must do something about Kelly Trent, too. She has a daughter…I'm sure you know. Both children are unique in their own ways and could pose as a possible detriment to our work. Think about joining me Avenir. You never know what we can do if we both work together… _

"What?!" Josie exclaimed. Her heart began to beat even faster as an uncomfortable knot formed in the pit of her stomach. At that moment from reading the disturbing letter, she knew that she and Vaughn were in grave danger.

"I can't believe this. I don't even know what the hell he's talking about! How the hell are me and Vaughn a detriment to his work?" She looked up at the phantom, who was pointing down at something else on the desk.

She walked over to where it stood and found a folder with her and Vaughn's name on it. She opened it and found black and white photographs of her and Vaughn. In all of the pictures, both Vaughn and Josie were not facing the camera. Instead, they were oblivious to the fact that someone was spying on them, watching their every move.

"What the hell is this? Who took these pictures?" She asked angrily. She then came upon something that took her by great surprise. Hidden amongst papers that contained information about her and Vaughn, she found the missing DNA blueprints that she and Vaughn had done for a science experiment in Professor Z's class.

"What are these doing here? So that's what happened to them…someone stole these from Z's classroom. But who?" She thought about it for a moment, until the answer finally dawned on her. "The janitor…so he's behind all of this, too? I should have known!" She said as she angrily threw down the folder. She then began to search the whole office, turning over every chair, emptying every drawer to find out the reason why she and Vaughn were kidnapped, and what Middleton planned on doing to them.

After a few minutes, she did not find anything. She reluctantly abandoned her efforts and sat down in a chair. Just then, she noticed the phantom standing in the front of the room, pointing at the door. She slowly stood up and walked towards the door, knowing that there was something else it had to show her. She walked out the door and down the hall, keeping a very close eye on the creature the whole time. Little did she know that the phantom would lead her to a very shocking destination…

* * *

The science club walked through the dark room. As soon as they made their way further inside, the door automatically closed on its own. They all jumped in surprise.

"Who closed the door?" Marshall asked.

"I think it closed by itself." Z replied.

"Now it's even darker in here! I can't see anything!" Lucas said.

"Try to stay close, guys. Hold on to the person next to you." Z suggested.

As Marshall tried to grasp onto someone in the darkness, his right hand suddenly touched something that was soft and round. He immediately knew it was Corrine…and he knew that he was not touching her arm…but something else. A smile crept up on his face as he pinched the person in front of him. He expected to hear Corrine giggle, but someone else made an awkward noise.

"Whoever is pinching my rear please remove your hand!" Z exclaimed. Marshall immediately withdrew his hand. Corrine and Lucas snickered in the darkness.

"It wasn't me, Z." Lucas replied, stifling a laugh.

"Me neither." Corrine chimed in.

"Sorry…" Marshall whispered.

Z shook his head and moved away. "That's alright Marshall, but next time, please don't pinch!"

Lucas walked over to Marshall and patted him on the shoulder. "Seems like you got the hots for Z now, huh? I would have never guessed it."

"Shut up Lucas." Marshall growled.

"We have to find a light in here...my eyes are starting to hurt." Corrine said as she felt her way around the room.

She finally came to what seemed like a wall. She ran her hands along the wall until her fingertips touched something that felt like a light switch. She immediately flicked it, and to her relief, the light came on from the ceiling, revealing their location. They were in a small library lined with thousands of books along the walls on shelves. There was one table that had books sprawled on top of it. The room looked very familiar to them, as if they had been in there before.

"You know what?" Lucas said as he began examining the room. "This place looks familiar. I feel like we've been in here before."

Corrine walked over to where Lucas stood. "Yeah…I feel that way, too. That can't be probable. We've never been here before."

Z walked around the room, deep in thought. He found the room to be very familiar, too. He stopped in his tracks when he saw something familiar. "Uncanny…" He said in an astonished whisper.

"What's wrong, Z?" Marshall said as he walked over to his professor.

"I've seen this same poster back at Blake Holsey…in fact; it's in the same place where it is in the library." He replied, pointing to a poster of space that was hanging on the wall.

Everyone looked at Z in confusion.

"So…what are you trying to say, Z?" Marshall asked.

"He then turned around and faced his students. "You might think I'm crazy, but I think that this is the exact replica of our library back at school."

"What?" His students replied at the same time.

"How can that be? That's impossible." Corrine said.

"No wonder why I felt like I've been in here before. Everything is set up just like our library, except ours is bigger and has more tables." Lucas said as he walked over to one of the bookshelves.

"Do you think there's a wormhole in here? Maybe that's how Josie and Vaughn ended up in this place." Marshall asked Z.

"I don't think so, Marshall. From what the janitor said, he mentioned that something had taken them. They didn't slip into a wormhole."

"So maybe that thing brought them here in this room?" Corrine suggested.

"It's a possibility, but I don't understand why someone would replicate the library in this lab. It's very uncanny…" Z said as he looked around. After a few moments, they all decided to check out the library. Z paired off with Marshall on one side, while Corrine and Lucas paired off on the other side of the room. They noticed that the library contained the exact same books they had in their library, even books that were only meant for Blake Holsey to have.

On the far side of the room, Lucas came across a bookshelf that was oddly separated from the rest of the room. An eerie presence suddenly overcame him. He looked behind his shoulders and saw Corrine walking behind him.

"Hey Corrine, look." He said, motioning for his friend to come over. "It's weird how this side of the room is separated from the other side."

Corrine looked around the area and noticed that there was something peculiar about the wall. "Something doesn't seem right." She said as she walked over to the left to inspect the wall. She found what appeared to be a small, black object on the side of the bookshelf.

"Hey Lucas look what I've found."

Lucas immediately rushed over to Corrine and examined the black button. "It looks like some sort of button. I wonder if it works." He attempted to push the button, but Corrine quickly pushed his finger away.

"Don't touch it! You don't know what's going to happen…there can be a trap door or something."

Z and Marshall heard the ruckus on the far side of the room and immediately ran over there.

"What's going on, guys?" Z asked.

"Corrine found a button by the bookcase." Lucas replied.

"Yeah, and he wants to touch it. I told him not to because we don't know if it's a trap or something."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "_Chillax_ Corrine, I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe it's a door to another hallway or something."

"Lucas Corrine's right. I don't think it's a good idea to touch it." Marshall warned.

At that same moment, Lucas accidentally brushed up against the button and pressed it. Marshall, Professor Z, and Corrine looked at him in horror.

"Lucas…what did you do? I told you not to touch it!" Corrine exclaimed.

"It was an accident! Look, will you all chillax! Nothing happened…"

At that same moment, something did happen. The bookshelf began to move. Z looked in horror as his two students stood right in front of the shifting wall.

"Corrine, Lucas…get over here with me and Marshall now!"

But it was too late, the bookshelf quickly shifted to the left, causing Lucas and Corrine to stumble back inside the opening of the wall.

"Corrine! Lucas!" Marshall yelled as he attempted to make his way over to his friends, but Z held him back.

"Marshall, no! You'll get trapped, too!"

The wall closed, trapping Lucas and Corrine on the other side. Z and Marshall quickly ran over to the bookshelf and attempted to move it. Marshall frantically pushed the button, but nothing happened.

"Z the button's not working! Corrine! Lucas!" He yelled, frantically banging on the wall. But there was silence.

Z walked over to Marshall, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's too late Marshall, they're gone. There must be another way to get to them."

In anger, Marshall kicked the bookshelf and started throwing books onto the floor. The swearing that came out of his mouth shocked Z, for he'd never seen Marshall so angry or heard him speak with vulgar language.

"Let's go Z…now we have _four_ people missing instead of two." He said as they made their way out of the isolated room to the main part of the library. As they walked to the main entrance, Z noticed a door on the other side.

"Marshall, let's go out this way, something tells me that we should go out this door." He said, pointing to the door.

Marshall nodded and followed his professor.

"Don't worry Marshall, we'll find them…" Z said reassuringly as they opened the door and left.

* * *

A/N: So what do you guys think? I hope you all liked it! I'll try my best to update this story as well as Wayward Hearts! I've already written the chapters, but I have to type them! We are coming to the end of our journey very soon. I know I keep saying that, but there is only approximately 4 or 5 chapters left, depending on the length. SO once again, thank you so so much for reading and reviewing! That means a lot to me! Take care! Until next time!!


	29. Peril Shining Bright Above You

**A/N: Hey guys! Ready for another chapter? Sorry for the long wait but as always, I was busy with life. But I'm back with another chapter! So read and review!**

* * *

"What's she doing now Ryan?" Vaughn asked in a shaky whisper as he looked helplessly at his friend.

"She's opening her eyes." He whispered back, his weary eyes staring at Samantha.

He continued to stare at the seemingly unconscious girl, frozen in fear. Her closed eyes began to slowly open, and then quickly close again. Her mouth began to suddenly twitch, as if she was struggling to speak. Ryan had one nerve to get up and run away, but he knew that that would be very cowardly of him. Besides, Vaughn's fanatical idea about the antidote changing Samantha into a zombie was clearly unlikely…right?

Just then, her eyes opened completely. She stared right at Ryan, never blinking. A sharp chill shot through his spine, he could feel the little hair on his head begin to stand on its own in terror. There was no color in her pupils. They were white, with no trace of color in her iris. Ryan's heartbeat stopped, for now he truly believed that the serum changed her into a zombie.

"Oh no...what have we done..." He whispered under his breath.

"What? Is everything okay Ryan?" Vaughn asked worriedly.

Ryan carefully shifted his gaze from Samantha to Vaughn. "Yeah..yeah everything's fine." He struggled to say. He didn't want Vaughn to know that his theory was true.

Suddenly, Samantha's white, ghostly eyes changed to a deep blue shade of gray. Her pale face changed to a healthy flesh tone. Even though his body was paralyzed in terror, he couldn't help but feel relieved that the antidote was working, restoring the once comatose girl to life.

Vaughn noticed the expression on Ryan's face change from total horror to confusion. He slowly loosened his grip from around Samantha's waist, carefully scooting his body away from her.

"Ryan what's going on?" He whispered.

"She's…she's staring at me. Dude she's really freaking me out right now…"

"Well what are we going to do?" Vaughn asked.

"I don't know!" Ryan whispered back, feeling slightly irritated.

"What if she's staring at you because she's deciding on what part of your body she wants to eat first?"

Ryan reluctantly shifted his gaze from Samantha and looked at Vaughn as if he'd gone completely bonkers.

"Dude…don't be ridiculous…"

He then turned his attention back to Samantha and carefully moved closer to her face. He waved his hand in front of her face, but she never blinked or followed his hand. He then leaned his body to the right and left, but still her eyes never followed him.

"Samantha…Samantha are you okay?" She was still silent. "It's me…Ryan. Remember me?"

Her blue gray eyes still bore through his body. Her silence and lack of an initiative to move worried him even more.

"I don't think she's alright, Ryan. She's not moving or…"

At that moment, Ryan ran his hand across her lukewarm rosy cheeks. Samantha snapped out of her trance, inhaling then exhaling in deep breaths. Startled, Vaughn and Ryan quickly moved away from her. She finally began blinking her eyes, looking around the room in an attempt to sharpen her blurry vision. She appeared to be very much shaken, not to mention very confused. After a few moments of looking around the room, her eyes finally fell upon Ryan, searching him as she tried to figure out his identity.

"Sam it's me, Ryan."

"Ryan?" She asked in a soft, weak whisper. "Ryan is that really you?"

He knelt down on the floor next to her and smiled. "Yes it's me."

Samantha's eyes began to swell with unshed tears. Ryan quickly embraced her in a comforting hug and began rubbing her back.

"Shhh….it's okay Sam. You're alright. No one' s gonna hurt you…you're safe with us."

She broke away from his embrace and began wiping away her tears.

"We have to get out of here…it's not safe." She sobbed.

Vaughn slowly walked over to where Ryan and Samantha sat on the floor. "Is she alight Ryan?"

Ryan nodded. "She's okay. She's just a little startled.

Samantha looked up at Vaughn, trying to figure out his identity. "Ryan who's your friend?"

"Sam this is…"

"Hi I'm Vaughn."

"Vaughn is Victor Pearson's son."

Samantha's blue gray eyes bugged out of her skull in shock, as if she'd just met a celebrity.

"So _you're_ Vaughn Pearson? I've heard Middleton mention your name before…along with this girl's name, too. I think her name was Josie…Josie Trent."

Vaughn's heartbeat began to race at the mention of the girl he was very fond with. "You've actually _heard _of me and Josie?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Do you remember exactly what Middleton said about us?"

"No, but all I know is that you have to get out of here or else he'll find you!" Samantha warned.

"Are you sure you don't remember?" Vaughn asked.

Samantha shook her head somberly. "Sorry, I can't remember even if I tried. In fact, I'm having a little trouble with my memory." She then placed her hand on her forehead as if she had a terrible headache.

"That's alright. You're experiencing one of the reactions people have to the antidote. Your memory will slip for a while, but it'll slowly come back within a few hours or sooner." Ryan suggested as he helped her stand.

She struggled to stand on her own at first, for her legs were very wobbly and weak from not being in use for over a month. When she took one step forward, she tripped, but before she could hit the floor, Vaughn and Ryan quickly caught her.

"We have to go now guys." She pleaded as she tried to walk out the door. Before she could get any further, Ryan wasted no time to stop her by gently grabbing her arm.

"Sam, we have to wait…we have to be very careful if we're gonna survive. We can't just run out into the hallway because there could be someone waiting for us around the corner.

Fear shot through her weak body. The thought of being captured again plagued her mind. At that moment, she knew that she, along with her rescuers were in even more danger than she'd realized. She shifted her confused gaze between both of them.

"Could you please tell me the whole story about what's going on?"

* * *

"Sir, we have a problem." A man in white uniform said with urgency in his raspy voice.

Middleton's sinister grin quickly changed into a disappointed frown.

"What?!" He snapped.

"We have a problem…a very serious one, sir." The man replied nervously.

Middleton stared at him blankly as a myriad of thoughts raced through his warped mind.

"Problem? What type of _problem_? There shouldn't be **any** problems!"

The man in white shuddered from the professor's thunderous voice. He hesitated before answering.

"The …the prisoners have escaped, sir."

Middleton's eyes widened in shock, for he hoped that he wasn't speaking of the Blake Holsey students.

"Which prisoners?"

"Pearson and Trent."

He felt like he'd been hit with a ton of bricks. He couldn't _believe_ that both Vaughn _and_ Josie had managed to get away.

"What! Escaped! Which two numbskulls were stationed to keep watch over them?!"

"Fred and Ryan, sir." The man trembled.

The professor's anger was now beyond its boiling point. He roughly grabbed the man by his shirt collar and pinned him to the wall, catching the man off guard. Middleton's eyes bugged out of his head, a pulsating, angry vein in his forehead was becoming more prominent as his madness began taking over his body.

"Now you listen, radio those two pricks right now and tell them to bring their asses to my office!" He yelled as he shook the frightened man once more and then released him.

The man immediately pulled out the radio attached to his belt and called Fred. Meanwhile, Middleton stomped back inside his office, mumbling expletives under his breath. He paced around the room for a few minutes until Fred cautiously entered the room. Middleton stopped in his tracks and immediately walked over to the door where Fred stood.

"You stupid bastard! Do you know that because of you and Ryan's incompetence, Vaughn Pearson and Josie Trent have escaped?"

Fred's bloodshot eyes widened in shock. "They've escaped? That's impossible! Ryan and I locked those brats in separate cells!"

"Well clearly you two idiots didn't do your job!" Middleton exclaimed. He then noticed that Ryan was not there. "Where's Ryan?"

Fred shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…maybe he's with Madison somewhere."

Middleton stared at his frightened employee, unconvinced by his answer.

"Or he could be helping those two brats escape!"

He then stepped closer to Fred, pointing a threatening finger in his face. "I want you to go find those three or else I'll be forced to silence you like I did to a certain spy we had here a month ago!"

Fred widened his eyes in horror and agreed to the professor's demands. He quickly ran from the room, for he knew whom the crazed professor was referring to. Middleton sneered and walked over to his desk and sat down. He rested his head in the palm of his hands as rage seared through his body.

"I should have known…that damn Ryan helped them escape! They won't get far, I'll make sure of that! Once they're caught, they'll certainly pay for the hell they've caused! I should have gotten rid of the Trent girl and Victor's son as soon as the phantom brought them here. Dammit!" He yelled, violently knocking the books off of his desk.

At that moment, a diabolical idea came to mind. He reached inside his desk drawer and pulled out a needle and small vial. He then got up, made his way out of the door and down the hall with a cunning grin etched on his face.

"If I can't get rid of those pests right now, there's a caged bird I can destroy for the time being…

* * *

After Ryan and Vaughn finished explaining their whole ordeal to Samantha, she couldn't help but ogle at them in awe. Middleton was an even bigger monster than she'd thought.

"So you're telling me that I've been in suspended animation for how long?"

"For about a month…that's how long you've been missing." Ryan answered.

Samantha suddenly felt weak in her knees. When it appeared that she was about to faint, Ryan and Vaughn hurriedly ran over to her side, holding her up by her arms.

"Whoa…careful there. You're not still used to being awake." Ryan chided her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm alright guys…I'm just shocked about everything. Wow…I was knocked out for that long? How did you guys manage to wake me up?"

Ryan dug into his left pocket and took out the glass antidote vial. "With this."

Samantha looked at him perplexedly. "What's that?"

"It's some type of serum that acts as an antidote against the suspended animation drug. I discovered that Middleton uses this to wake comatose people, like you were, out of suspended animation. We were going to give it to Josie, since we saw her get injected with the same drug, but we couldn't find her."

"So you guys gave it to me, instead?" She inquired with wide, watery eyes. "Thank you."

"You're lucky we found you." Ryan replied with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, when we gave you that stuff, ol' scardy cat over here thought that it would change you into some sort of zombie." Vaughn teased.

Ryan glared at Vaughn. "Correction Pearson, it was _you _who was freaking out when she made that noise." He retorted.

Samantha widened her eyes in astonishment. "Noise? What noise? I made a noise? What did it sound like?"

"It sounded like some horrible rabid animal." Vaughn joked.

Samantha's cheeks blushed crimson from embarrassment.

"Yeah, and to make it even more freaky, you were staring at me with white pupils...there was no color in your eyes at all. You were totally spaced out." Ryan said.

Samantha shifted her gazed between both guys, who were trying with all of their might to restrain themselves from bursting out into laughter.

"Come on guys, I think we should be going now." Vaughn suggested as he made his way over to the door.

He carefully opened the door, looking down both ways into the dimly lit desolate hall.

"It seems like the coast is clear." He said as he walked out the door, heading down the right wing. Samantha and Ryan followed closely behind him.

As they silently walked down the hall, Samantha began having disturbing flashbacks about her ordeal. One isolated room they passed triggered those awful memories, causing her to stop in her tracks. Ryan and Vaughn unknowingly walked ahead of her, and then stopped when they'd noticed that he wasn't beside them. They both turned around and noticed that the blond girl seemed to be afraid.

"Sam what's wrong?" Ryan asked as he and Vaughn quickly made their way over to her.

"My memory's coming back…I remember this room…this is where Middleton's henchmen brought me." She trembled, forcing back tears.

She then bravely stepped inside the dimly lit room. It was small, but not too cramped inside. Ryan and Vaughn stepped inside after her, watching as she meticulously examined the contents of the room. There was equipment inside that one would expect to see inside an operating room. There was one single operating table with a white sheet draped over it. Just like the room where Josie's lifeless body used to lay, there were surgical tools, a respirator, and a medicine cabinet.

Samantha walked over to the examination table and ran her fingers along its sides. Ryan and Vaughn stood next to her, observing the peculiar way she touched each strap on the table.

"What kind of table is this?" Vaughn asked.

"It's some sort of restraint table Middleton uses for difficult patients." Ryan explained.

"You mean to tell me that he strapped people down to torture them?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah…I unfortunately had the privilege of witnessing him torture this one guy…"

"That's what he did to me…" Samantha began in an eerie tone. "When his men grabbed me and threw me into this room, they strapped me down to this table. I remember the straps being very tight around my wrists and ankles…I could feel them cutting through my skin." She rubbed her wrists as if they were still searing with pain.

A painful lump formed in the pit of both Ryan and Vaughn's stomachs, rendering them speechless.

"Then what happened?" Vaughn forced out his words in a soft whisper.

"Middleton and this guy who ratted me out stood beside the table, staring down at me like they were crazy or something. I will never forget the look in Middleton's eyes…the madness that emitted from them was very scary. I remember that the other guy had a smirk on his face and for some reason, he dangled a pen by his lips."

Immediately, a cold chill shot through Vaughn's body, for he knew whom she was describing. _"It can't possibly be him…can it?"_ He thought.

"I begged Middleton to let me go. I'd even apologized to him when I didn't know what I'd done to deserve that treatment. I didn't do anything wrong…but all he did was laugh at me…mocking my every word." Samantha began crying.

"What else happened after that?" Ryan asked, regretting his question.

"He looked at the guy that was standing next to him and nodded; then he began smiling…like he knew what Middleton was going to do to me next. Middleton then took something out of this drawer." She pointed to a solitary drawer connected to the side of the table. "He pulled something out and began grinning."

"What was it?" Vaughn asked, the anticipation rising by the second.

"A needle…a very big, long one. It had some sort of blue liquid inside the barrel. As soon as he pushed down on the plunger, a few drops shot out. I began to cry hysterically, begging him to spare my life. He just kept laughing, telling me to shut up. I tried with all of my might to get out of these straps but my wrists and ankles were tied down too tight for me to move. He got angrier at me when I started screaming for help. I looked at that guy standing next to him and noticed that his face seemed to show remorse all of a sudden. I think that he at some point tried to get Middleton to let me go. Middleton threatened him, telling him to leave. At that moment, he pinned me down with one hand and stuck the needle in my forearm. That blue stuff burned like hell…I've never felt pain like that before in my life. It felt like the world was spinning because my head was hurting so bad."

"That was your vital organs shutting down. Your body was preparing to hibernate." Ryan interjected.

"Then all of a sudden, darkness clouded my vision and the only thing I remember seeing before I blacked out was Middleton's crazy eyes. I remember him telling me to have a pleasant sleep."

Ryan and Vaughn were still silent, in utter disbelief over what they'd heard.

"So that guy you said was standing next to Middleton, do you remember his name?" Vaughn inquired.

Samantha thought long, placing her hand on her forehead. "I think his name is Tyler…Tyler…"  
"Jessup? It was Tyler Jessup who ratted you out?" Vaughn exclaimed, slight anger dripping from his tone.

Samantha nodded.

"How did you meet him?" Vaughn asked.

"He just came out of nowhere one day and started talking to me. I thought he was alright at first, I didn't suspect any shadiness from him, but then…"

"So he must have been the one who told Middleton about you wanting to leave. He must have overheard us speaking that day in the lobby. Sneaky bastard!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Yeah, he was the one who told Middleton about me wanting to leave. He also lied and said that I wanted to destroy his plans…but I had absolutely no knowledge about anything that he does."

"Sounds exactly like him…typical Tyler." Vaughn sneered.

"You know Tyler Jessup, Vaughn?" Samantha asked.

"Unfortunately I do. We went to Blake Holsey together until one day a few months ago, he decided to attend the Avenir Academy."

"Has he done anything harmful to you?" She asked.

"No, not really…he tried to spy on the science club I belong to because we knew about this vortex that is in Middleton's old office back at school. He went through it and we still don't know what he saw or what he was doing. Now it's obvious." Vaughn replied, trying to contain his anger.

"So where is he now?" Samantha asked.

"He's gone." Ryan spoke up.

"Gone? What happened to him?" Samantha and Vaughn asked simultaneously.

"Remember when I said that I watched Middleton torturing this guy? Well it was Jessup. Middleton found out that he was snooping around his office and other secret areas in the building, trying to get a piece of his plans."

"What did Middleton do to him?" Vaughn asked with wide eyes.

"I'm not sure…I couldn't stand to watch him being tortured anymore, so I left the room. My only guess is that Middleton either put him in suspended animation or worse…"

Samantha placed her hands on her mouth in shock. Vaughn didn't know if he should feel remorse for his cunning ex-classmate.

"It's best if we go now guys, I'm getting a serious case of the creeps." Samantha suggested as she left the room. Ryan and Vaughn followed close behind her.

Soon as they left the room, a loud, screeching noise began to resound throughout the hall. Samantha and Vaughn immediately covered their ears.

"What's that noise?" Vaughn yelled.

Ryan widened his eyes in horror, for he knew what the noise was.

"It's an alarm! Quick we have to go!"

"What kind of alarm is it?" Samantha exclaimed.

"It's an escape alarm…they know that you and Josie have escaped, Vaughn! We have to go now before they catch us!" Ryan yelled.

They began to run frantically down the hall until they reached the entrance to the stairwell.

"Where do we go from here?" Vaughn yelled.

At that moment, Samantha remembered that there was a small inconspicuous room downstairs where she used to work in the lobby.

"Quick! We have to go downstairs! There's this small room where nobody will find us down there!"

Vaughn and Ryan glanced at each other, wasting no time to follow the blond down the stairs. As they continued running frenetically downstairs, they heard footsteps running up the same staircase towards them.

"Quick! Hide behind this wall!" Ryan yelled as he moved them behind a darkened space between the wall and upper staircase.

They stood in silent horror as they watched four men dressed in white uniform rush up the stairs. They waited a few minutes before continuing downstairs towards the lobby. They soon made it safely inside a tiny, dark room.

"What is this place?" Vaughn whispered.

"It's my little quiet room…I used to come in here during my breaks." Samantha replied cheerily.

"Are you absolutely sure no one knows about this place?" Ryan asked.

"One-hundred percent." Samantha reassured them.

"well the only thing we can do now is to sit and wait." Ryan suggested.

"Not too long because Josie's still out there." Vaughn began worriedly as heaviness filled his heart.

"Don't worry Vaughn, she'll be alright. If she's as tough as you say she is, she'll be able to outsmart those guys and take care of herself." Ryan reassured his friend.

Vaughn prayed silently . _"Please God protect Josie…"_

* * *

Victor Pearson sat alone in his six foot by four foot cell. Disturbing thoughts about Vaughn and Josie ran through his mind. He'd been blaming himself for this whole disastrous situation since the day he'd found out about their disappearance.

"If only I could have done something to prevent all of this from happening…it's all my fault." He chided himself as he placed his head in the palm of his hands.

Just then, he heard a clicking sound. He immediately looked up and noticed that his cell door had been unlocked. He quickly got up and walked over to the door.

"Who's there?" He yelled, but there was no answer.

He then looked both ways into the dimly lit room before stepping out of his cell.

"Who's in here? Show yourself!" He demanded as he walked further down the corridor.

At that moment, he noticed something standing still in the distance. He squinted his eyes in an attempt to get a clearer view of the silhouetted person.

"Helllo! Who's there?" He called as he stepped closer to the figure.

When he was within five feet of the shadow, he widened his eyes in surprise, for he recognized his visitor.

"It's **you**…"

**A/N: So did you guys like it? Sorry for the delay. I didn't mean to update so late but please leave a review so that I can see how you guys like it. This story is winding down because the end is coming very, very soon! Only a few chapters left! I'm sad, but I've been writng this story along with 3 others for two years and this is my first fic so this one has to end first! But anyway, thanks to all of you who read and review and are continuing with me on this journey! For those of you who are reading/have read Wayward Hearts, I will be updating that story soon! So until next time! Hopefully in the next two weeks I will update again! Take care and God Bless!**


	30. Sweet Serenity

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! This one is long. My chapters will be longer than usual because we are coming to the finale of this epic. I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but I figure about 4. I've been writing this story for 2 years, 6 months and it's time to put it to an end! So instead of abandoning this project, as other readers may abandon their stories, I'm 100 committed to finishing this story as well as the other 4 stories! So whenever I don't post for a while, don't be alarmed, that means that I'm working on a chapter! But enough about me! I think you all will enjoy this chapter because there is a little resolution you all have been waiting for! So, read and enjoy!!**

* * *

"Help! Help!" Corrine and Lucas screamed as they banged frantically on the pale white walls.

"Help! Professor Z! Marshall!" Lucas yelled at the top of his lungs.

"It's no use…they can't hear us!" Corrine said as she stopped banging on the wall.

Lucas abandoned his call for help and gave the wall one more hard punch. He turned to Corrine, who seemed to have unshed tears in her eyes.

"Now what are we going to do?" He asked.

Corrine lowered her head, trying desperately to hold back tears. "I don't know…"

Lucas looked around the area surrounding them, realizing that they stumbled upon another hallway. There was nothing in sight but pale white walls that seemed to continue on forever. He turned back around and pushed on the wall that separated them from Professor Z and Marshall. He placed his hands all around it ,until he discovered something very peculiar about its structure.

"Hey wait a minute…" He said as he placed his hands on the left corner of the wall.

"What is it?" Corrine asked as she watched him.

"Something's weird…I thought that this door opened when we came through."

"Yeah it did. Where are you going with this, Lucas?"

"For some reason, there's no gap over here. There's supposed to be a space right here if it opened."

Corrine eyed him confusedly. "Of course there is. Then how did it open if this isn't a door?" She stepped over to where he stood and to her horror, realized that in fact something was very wrong. She turned around wide eyed, facing Lucas.

"Oh no...it looks like we're sealed in here."

"What! " That's impossible! This wall just slid open about five minutes ago! How could it just seal itself?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

Corrine shrugged her shoulders as she took two steps away from Lucas. Silence fell between them for a few seconds until an outrageous theory struck Lucas's mind.

"Oh no…please don't tell me that these walls are somehow alive, watching our every movement. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of alien detection system hidden somewhere."

Corrine turned around and stared at him as if he'd gone completely mad.

"Don't start losing your mind now, Lucas. I need you to stay focused so that we can get out of here. Besides, I don't believe that these walls are alive and hiding some kind of alien beings." She then turned around and began walking down the hall.

"There's someone behind all of this…but it's difficult to say who." She surmised as she pressed firmly on the walls, hoping to discover a hidden door.

Lucas watched what she was doing and began to mimic her.

"For some reason, I keep getting the feeling like we've been here before." Corrine said as they slowly made their way around a corner. Now it was Lucas's turn to look at her as if she'd gone crazy.

"Come again?"

"I don't know what it is, but I feel like this has happened to us before."

"I still don't know what you're talking about." Lucas retorted with a bewildered frown etched across his face.

"These walls and the cramped space in the hallway remind me of…" It suddenly dawned on her. She turned to face Lucas, eyes wide with excitement.

"Lucas! I remember now!"

Lucas looked at her strangely, startled, not to mention, slightly disturbed by the way her eyes bugged out of her head.

"I remember you and I walking through a hall like this one, but something's different. I just can't put my finger on it."

Lucas thought for a moment, until he too realized that in fact he and Corrine had been through this hall before. They looked at each other and blurted out simultaneously.

"The Tesseract!"

"Yeah I remember now. It was you, me, and Z who were alone in school a few months ago when it started transforming into a Tesseract. Then we became separated from Z and ended up in a hallway just like this one!" He said as he took an extra few steps down the hall. He turned to Corrine and frowned.

"Wait…how do _you_ remember the Tesseract when I was the only one who seemed to experience it alone?"

Corrine shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…maybe I repressed my memory somehow, but now I remember. In fact, I remember that we were in the basement hallway at Blake Holsey…this doesn't look like the basement."

"I know, and I don't remember us walking for this long…it seems like we're walking around in circles."

"Maybe we're in some sort of maze or something…or maybe we're in a hallway within a hallway." Corrine suggested.

Lucas looked at her, stopping dead in his tracks. "What? Now your theories are starting to sound more ridiculous than mine."

"Think about it, Lucas; we could be in some sort of secret passageway that probably leads to somewhere off limits…somewhere whoever designed this place doesn't want anyone to go."

Lucas looked at his friend for a moment as his brain digested her words. _Maybe she's going somewhere with this…or she's clearly lost all of her marbles._ He thought.

"That can be a possibility, Corrine." He agreed as they both made their way down the endless hall. "For some odd reason, I don't think that this is an ordinary hallway…maybe it serves as some sort of way out of the building."

"Maybe, but I think that it leads to a secret part of the building." Corrine replied.

As they rounded the next corner, uneasiness suddenly began to slowly creep up inside Corrine. For some reason, the room began to take on an ominous air.

"I don't think we should go any further Lucas…we should turn around."

He turned to his friend with a disappointed frown, and answered in disbelief. "What? Why? We can't turn around now! We've been walking around endlessly forever!"

"Lucas we have to turn back! I don't have a good feeling about this."

"I don't understand you. You were so gung-ho about continuing just a few minutes ago!"

"I know but once we walked around the corner into this part of the hallway, a bad feeling came over me. I don't know what it is but I seriously feel that we have to get the hell out of here."

Lucas stared at Corrine, slightly taken aback. It wasn't because of her sudden overwhelming fear of the unknown that shocked him, it was the fact that she cursed, which she hardly ever did. By her anxious demeanor and the urgency in her voice, he knew that she was dead serious, but he was still unwilling to turn back.

"Corrine please listen to me; we can't turn back now. Look at how far we've traveled. What if we're close to the exit? Turning back now could seriously jeopardize us getting out of this place! Not to mention, we won't be able to find Josie and Vaughn!"

"But Lucas…"

"Corrine, trust me. Nothing's gonna happen to us. It's not like we're in a Tesseract or something. The walls aren't suddenly going to close in and squash us to death."

Feeling defeated, yet reluctant to give in to Lucas's suggestion, she sighed. He'd certainly done a great job persuading her to continue, but she knew deep down in her heart that they should still turn around. Just as she began to speak, a low rumble sounded through the hallway.

"What was that?" Corrine asked as she looked around.

"I don't know, maybe it's thunder or something." Lucas suggested.

Another rumble sounded, but this time the floor vibrated.

"I don't think that's thunder Lucas." Corrine said as she backed her body against the wall.

As they anticipated another rumble, they noticed that the hall wasn't as wide as it was a few minutes ago.

"Uh Corrine, does this hallway seem a little bit different to you?" Lucas asked.

Corrine studied the pale white walls and gray cement floor, as if she was calculating the dimensions of the hall in her mind.

"Yeah it does…" At that moment, she realized something very startling.

"Oh no…" She said under her breath as she turned to Lucas.

He looked at her, reading the fear emanating from her eyes. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

"If I'm not mistaken, and I hope to **God **that I'm wrong, but I think that we're in serious trouble…" Lucas said in a shaky tone.

Corrine began shaking her head in disbelief, covering her face with her hands. "Please don't tell me that…"

Her words were interrupted by rumbling sounds, but this time it was much louder than the last time. They both looked at each other horrified, too scared to speak or move. Corrine happened to glance past Lucas and noticed that the wall at the end of the hall was closer to them than it was earlier.

"Oh my God Lucas, look!"

He turned around and immediately saw what Corrine was pointing to. At that moment, the floor began to shake violently, and the walls around them shook and began to move.

"Oh no Corrine the walls are closing in on us! We're somehow trapped in a Tesseract again!"

Tears began to well up in Corrine's eyes, for the thought of being squished alive terrified her.

"Lucas what are we going to do? We'll die in here!"

Lucas's heart pounded in his chest as he desperately tried to figure out a way to escape. Unfortunately all he could do was to stand next to Corrine, paralyzed with fear as the walls continued to close in on them…

* * *

As Josie followed the phantom down the dark, desolate hall, a piercing noise boomed through the air. Josie quickly placed her hands over her ears.

"What's that loud noise? It's hurting my freaking ears!" She shouted. She looked at the phantom, which was now standing at the entryway to another room. She hesitated for a moment before following it.

"Why are we going into another room? Isn't it safer to keep going?"

The phantom incessantly pointed to the room, urging her to go inside. Being both curious and cautious, Josie made her way towards the room. _Well if it's led me to Middleton's office without any problems, I guess it won't try anything to harm me_ She thought as she walked into the small dark room, all the while keeping a suspicious eye on the creature.

The door suddenly closed as soon as she stepped inside. Josie ran over to the door and turned the knob, but it was locked. Alarmed, she began pounding on the door.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted that thing! Let me out of here!"

At that moment, the light turned on. She quickly turned around and was relieved to see the phantom standing across from her. She suddenly felt a little guilty for mistrusting the creature. She glanced around the dimly lit room and realized that she was inside a closet. There was hardly anything in there…a few boxes, a mop, and a broom. She turned to the phantom questioningly.

"Why did you bring me inside a closet?"

Her question was soon answered when she heard voices coming from the other side of the door…

"_There you are! Where have you been! Middleton has been looking all over for you!" Said an angry man's voice._

"_What do you mean where have I been? I've been right here doing my job all freaking day!" A female's voice replied angrily._

"_I don't think you've been doing anything lately! Do you know why the alarms are sounding?"_

"_Yeah, of course I know why they're going off! It's because someone has escaped."_

"_Do you have any idea who that person or should I say, people who've escaped?" The man retorted sarcastically._

"_What do you mean people? Only one person could escape at a time…" She replied then paused, realizing who had escaped. "No that can't be…"_

"_Yes! Because of you and that good for nothing boyfriend of yours, Josie Trent and Vaughn Pearson have escaped!"_

Josie's heart skipped a beat. A sharp chill ran up her spine, causing goosebumps to spread all over her body. She now knew that the ear piercing alarm was for her and Vaughn, and now they were both being hunted down like animals.

"_What do you mean because of me and Ryan! You were the one who was supposed to keep watch over them! As a matter of fact, once we separated Josie and Vaughn, you and Ryan were ordered by Middleton to watch them! I had nothing to do with it!"  
_

"_Oh yes you did! Once we caught Josie in the hallway and injected her with that suspended animation serum, you helped me carry her into that examination room! When Middleton came in there to check and see if it was the right person, he turned to you, Madison, to keep an eye on her!"_

Josie widened her eyes when the man mentioned the female's name. Her blood ran cold, and then boiled out of anger when she heard what they did to her. "Madison…" She whispered angrily through gritted teeth.

"That skank!"

"_Don't blame me for your screw ups, Fred! I'm not the one in charge of guarding prisoners! Middleton said that my only job was to make sure that you and the rest of your scumbag colleagues do your damn jobs!_

"Fred?" Josie whispered. "He's the one who was with Ryan when they captured me and Vaughn. He's that greasy, smelly short guy! Bastard!"

"_I'm not just blaming you, darlin'; I'm blaming that sorry piece of crap you call your boyfriend for all of this hell! Because of you two, Middleton is pissed with me!"_

"_He's not my boyfriend….not anymore." Madison answered slyly._

"_Aww what happened; trouble in your warped paradise?"_

"_I never liked him. In fact, he disgusted me. I was only with him because Professor Middleton told me to keep an eye on him. He told me to keep an eye on everyone…including you! That's why he allows me to go back and forth from this dimension to Blake Holsey so that I can keep an eye on what's going on there."_

"_Well don't you feel special being the Professor's lil' spy and all." Fred replied sarcastically._

"_As a matter of fact, I do." She replied with a spurious grin._

"_You seem to be more like his lil' pet or maybe even his whore." Fred replied under his breath._

"_What!" Madison snapped, roughly grabbing his arm._

"_Let go of me!" He demanded, as he snatched his arm out of her tight grip._

"_Don't think just because you're the teacher's pet that he can't be mad at you…because he is. Don't you know what happens to people when they anger the professor?"_

_Fear shot through Madison's body, for she knew how dangerous Middleton could be when he's overtly pissed. She looked into Fred's creepy blood shot eyes. He had that same annoying smirk etched on his grimy face, for he knew he'd scared her._

"_So what are we supposed to do now?" She asked angrily._

"_What do you think we have to do? We gotta go find 'em!" _

"_How are we both going to find them? This freakin' place is ginormous! We'll never find them by ourselves!" She complained._

_Fred stared at her as if she was stupid. "We're not the only ones looking for them. Middleton has ordered the other guys from every wing to search high and low for them."_

"_So now I have to waste my time looking for Trent and Vaughn?"_

"_We have to look for your useless boyfriend, too…" Fred replied angrily._

_Madison frowned. "Why?"_

"_Because, Middleton believes that Ryan was the one who helped them escape and that they're probably traveling with him."_

_She didn't know how to feel. She knew that if Middleton got a hold of Ryan, he would end up like Tyler Jessup. Even though she was slightly repulsed by the former jock, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him._

"_We have to find all three of them?"_

"_Yup…it'll be me and you from now on toots until we find those bastards." Fred replied as he placed one of his sweaty hands onto her shoulder. _

_Madison looked at him in disgust and immediately knocked his hand off of her._

"_Don't touch me." _

Fred smiled, at that same time, someone called on his radio_._

"_Fred come in…Fred!"_

He immediately pressed down on the side button and answered.

"_Yes Professor Middleton?"_

_"Did you find her yet!"_

_"Yes, she's right here with me."_

Madison's heart pounded in her chest. He knew that she could possibly be in serious trouble.

"_I want you two to go find Trent, Pearson, and Ryan now! Find them before they set our newest jailbird free."_

Fred and Middleton looked at each other confusedly.

"_Sir we have another prisoner?"  
_

"_Yes…it appears that Victor Pearson has decided to pay us an unwelcomed visit. I have him locked up in the basement of the west wing. I will take care of him very shortly. Now both of you go find those brats!"_

Josie was mortified, yet relieved that Victor was here to save them, but now he was in even more danger than they were.

"I have to do something to save Victor…" She said aloud as she stepped away from the door.

She turned around and noticed that the phantom was standing at the back of the room.

"I have to get out of here to help Victor and find Vaughn and Ryan…" She whispered.

The phantom stood silent, as if it was ignoring her.

She crept closer, making sure not to make a sound.

"Hey didn't you hear me? I have to save Victor!"

At that moment, someone from the other side of the door said something.

"_Hey what was that? Did you hear that Fred?" Madison asked, looking around the hall._

"_No I didn't hear anything."_

"_Well I did…and it came from this room."_

Josie froze in horror. "Oh no they heard me!" She whispered. At the same time, the doorknob began to turn.

"_Dammit the door's locked! Do you have the key?" Madison asked Fred._

"_No…I don't work on this wing."_

"_Well we have to get inside! What if someone's hiding in there…like Trent or Vaughn?"_

Fred stared at her, realizing that she might be right.

"_Move out the way, I'll break the door down."_

Josie could not believe her ears. She looked at the phantom in desperation.

Please…help me! They're coming in here!"

As she frantically searched around the closet, Fred kept ramming his body against the door. Josie turned around, feeling helpless until she noticed the phantom standing at the far left corner of the room. It was motioning her to come. She wasted no time and followed it. There was an inconspicuous door on the floor. She lifted the metal lever, opened the door and crawled down a latter into total darkness. When she looked back up, she noticed that the phantom was gone. At that moment, she heard voices coming from above.

"_There's no one in here! What's wrong with you!"_ Fred yelled.

"_There was someone in here! I heard voices!"_ Madison suggested.

"_Come on, we're wastin' precious time with your nonsense."_ Fred grumbled.

Josie stood in silence…scared, yet relieved that she was out of danger, for now. She heard the door slam upstairs, which meant that they'd left. She looked around the dark room. The only thing she could see was the glow of light emitting from the other side of the room by the door. As she crept towards the door, the light suddenly came on. She was thankful to find the phantom standing by the door, motioning her to follow it. A warm smile formed on her face as she without hesitation, followed the creature out the door into the welcoming light. She turned to the phantom.

"I thought you'd left me…so where are we going now?"

It simply pointed down the hall, where Josie began to slowly walk, feeling anxious, yet scared about where it would lead her…

* * *

"Lucas we have to go!" Corrine yelled as she frantically grabbed on his arm.

He looked around the hall for an escape route, and finally found that there was another part of the hall untouched by the chaos.

"Quick Corrine over here!" He grabbed her arm and ran towards the other hall. Once they were safely inside, they watched as the walls slammed shut.

Corrine turned to Lucas and hugged him firmly. She began to cry against his chest. In response, he patted her on the back reassuringly.

"It's alright Corrine…we're safe now."

She lifted her head and stepped away from him as she wiped her eyes. "Thanks for getting us out of there…we could've been squished like bugs."

"Yeah I know…it's weird how this room wasn't here earlier."Lucas replied as he looked around the newly formed space.

"Maybe this room was behind the collapsing walls?" Corrine suggested as they both examined the pale walls.

When Lucas glanced further down the other hall, he noticed something very strange. He couldn't fight the feeling to investigate. Corrine watched as her friend suddenly left her side and walked down the hall.

"Lucas where are you going?"

He ignored her and walked around the corner into the next portion of the hall, only to find that no one was there. Corrine followed after him, trying to figure out what he was searching for.

"What are you looking for?"

"I thought I saw someone standing in here." He replied, feeling slightly confused.

"Well there's no one here." Corrine replied, looking around the area. At that same time, her eyes caught sight of something dark and shadowy standing further down the hall. She tapped on Lucas's arm. He turned to her and noticed that the expression on her face showed fear. Speechless, she pointed down the hall. Lucas turned and saw what she was pointing to…a dark humanoid figure without a face.

"What is it?" Corrine whispered.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's probably not nice. This can't be good…" Lucas replied.

Suddenly, the figure began motioning its arm, as if telling them to follow it. Corrine and Lucas looked at each other with fear and uncertainty, contemplating on whether or now they should follow the creature.

"Should we go?" Corrine asked.

Lucas nodded. "I think so, maybe it is leading us to an exit."

"Or maybe it's leading us into a trap." Corrine suspected.

"There's only one way to find out…let's follow it." Lucas recommended.

With those last words, they cautiously followed the figure down the hall.

As Josie walked down the hall, she realized that something was different. The hallway seemed to continue endlessly. The pale white walls stood cold and silent. She looked around for rooms, but there were none.

"So where am I?" She turned to ask the phantom, but it was gone. She sighed and shook her head. "Great, it chose to leave me at the best freakin' time, now that I don't know where I am or what to do next!" The only thing she could do was to keep walking down the hall.

When she reached a corner, she saw the phantom standing at an entryway at the end of the hall.

"There you are! Why did you leave me?"

As usual, the phantom was quiet as it motioned for her to follow it...

* * *

Corrine and Lucas had been following the strange figure for about fifteen minutes. They both tried to figure out what it was, where it came from, and what were its intentions.

"I never thought in a million years that I would see a walking shadow…" Corrine said.

"I think I've seen that thing before. I remember seeing Josie draw a figure that looked exactly like that thing in class. It was just before she and Vaughn disappeared." Lucas spoke up.

"You don't think that that thing had something to do with their disappearance?" Corrine asked as a chill ran up her spine.

Lucas shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…maybe. But the janitor did say that something had taken them when they were in the library."

As they rounded anther corner, they noticed that the phantom was gone.

"Oh no, where did it go?" Corrine asked.

"I don't know, but I think we'd better keep walking." Lucas suggested as they continued down the winding hall.

* * *

"I feel like I've been walking for an eternity!" Josie whined as she followed the figure down the hall. A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind.

"What if Madison and those men are waiting for me down the hall?"

She then wondered about Vaughn and his whereabouts. It surprised her that Victor, of all people, came to rescue them. But what about Professor Z and the rest of the science club? Did they know that she and Vaughn were missing? If so, why hadn't they come to rescue them?

She rounded another corner, but this time, instead of there being a hall, it was a room. There were boxes stacked to the ceiling at every corner. A single light bulb with a long metal chain switch hung from the ceiling. Josie looked around in awe as she made her way over to the boxes and read the label.

"_Property of Pearadyne Labs_…I wonder what's inside."

She turned around to see if the phantom was around, but once again, it was gone.

"Hey! Where are you now?"

Just then, as she began opening the boxes, the sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance. She froze in fear, knowing that she was now definitely caught…

* * *

"Where is it?" Corrine asked as she and Lucas rounded another corner. At that moment, it appeared down the hall again.

"Look, there it is! Come on quick before it disappears again!" Lucas said as they ran down the hall.

They turned left around a corner, but instead of coming across another section of the endless hallway they stumbled upon a room. There were boxes stacked to the ceiling on every corner. A lone light bulb hung from the ceiling. Instead of finding the phantom standing in the middle of the room, they found someone else.

Lucas's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Corrine's eyes welled with tears. They could not believe their very eyes who was standing a mere ten feet in front of them…

"Josie!" They both yelled simultaneously…

* * *

The janitor stood in the dark, cool basement of Blake Holsey. It was now officially a month to the day since Josie and Vaughn had been taken from the safety of this world to the dangerous depths of another dimension. It's been plaguing him for the past few days about what to do. Should he risk his own life and save them, or should he let Middleton finally get his revenge on Victor? At first, he was on Middleton's side, but recently, he'd realized what a fool he'd been.

"How could I allow him to take two innocent children? They don't know what's going on!"

To put even more pressure on his already damaged conscience, Durst's constant badgering about everyone's whereabouts was driving him mad. Something had to be done, but what? Distressed, he leaned his head against the cold pale walls, contemplating on which side his loyalty fell.

"You know what you must do, Gene." A voice echoed through the air.

He quickly looked around, but no one was there.

"Do something about this situation." The voice said again. He knew who it was.

"I can't! I don't know what to do!"

"Of course you do! You must act now, Gene…many lives depend on your decision."

"I know, but if I choose to do one thing, my life may end; if I do something else, everyone will suffer…"

"Choose a side, Gene…as you know, everything happens for a reason." The voice said.

At that moment, a bright glow burst through the wall. A multitude of colors beamed as the wormhole came into fruition. Gene stood motionless in front of the vortex. The voice's words resounding through his mind.

"I have to do something…everything happens for a reason…"

**A/N: So how did you guys like it? What do you think the janitor will do? Now what's going to happen since Josie has been reunited with Corrine and Lucas? Who was the voice that was talking to the janitor? Stay tuned for more because much more will happen! You don't want to miss it! Thanks once again for reading and reviewing!**


	31. Dreams Can Tell A Lie

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for updating so late! As usual, I've been very busy. This April marks 3 years of writing this fic! I should have been finished with it a year ago, but I am also writing another epic fic along with this one! This chapter is long, as usual. So to remind everyone where we left off last time, Josie has been reunited with Corrine and Lucas, Vaughn is running around the building with two new friends desperately looking for Josie, Professor Z and Marshall are somewhere in the lab looking for everyone, Victor has come face to face with someone, and the janitor has made an important decision. Oh, and DUrst is still trying to tell herself that there's nothing wrong with Blake Holsey. This chapter starts off with Victor. That is all I will tell you because you have to read to find out what happens! So enough talking, read and enjoy! **

* * *

Victor stood in the hallway, frozen with surprise as he stared at the shadowy form standing a few feet away from him. An icy, ominous chill slowly crept up his spine, for he knew that the mere sight of the figure could only signify danger and disaster.

"It's **you**…the shape shifter!" He shouted in disbelief.

He cautiously took one step closer to the phantom, for he knew that it could have been sent by someone to do harm to him or possibly someone else.

"Who sent you?" He asked in a demanding tone, but the figure stood silent.

"I asked who sent you! Answer me!" But it was still silent, unnerved by Victor's raising angry voice.

Victor cautiously looked around the dimly lit room, making sure that there was no one hiding in the shadows.

"Did anyone send you to release me from the cell?"

The figure shook its head no. Victor was still unconvinced by its response. _Someone had to have sent it to meet with me…why else would it have released me from the cell? If no one sent it, I wonder what it wants._

"What do you want with me?" He asked as he took one careful step towards the figure.

In response, it moved a few steps back, wanting Victor to follow. He cautiously followed the phantom through the entryway into a bigger hall, which had a little more light than where they were a few minutes ago. After a few minutes, the phantom abruptly stopped and pointed to the left towards a dark room. As soon as Victor turned to look where the phantom pointed, a light turned on in the room. Much to Victor's great chagrin and surprise, out walked no one other than Tyler Jessup, someone whom he'd thought he would never see again.

Tyler stood at the doorway with the same infamous conceited smirk etched across his face. Victor stared at him speechlessly as he examined his demeanor. The former Blake Holsey student looked the same way as he had when he'd left the school for the Avenir Academy. He still had the same characteristics of being very sneaky, cunning, and untrustworthy. But at that moment, he appeared to be a little different in Victor's eyes. He seemed to be a little worn out, not as clean and sharp as he was in the past. From the looks of it, he'd appeared as if he'd been through great hell. He seemed very vulnerable, as if he was in desperate need of help, but his sarcastic smirk intentionally hid his troubles. Curious and slightly concerned, Victor decided to ask Tyler some questions.

"Tyler Jessup…" Victor said in an unenthusiastic tone with a half smirk, as the former Blake Holsey student folded his arms.

"Hello Mr. Pierson…long time no see." He replied in his usual egotistical voice.

"What are you doing here?" Victor asked.

"I came to rescue you to help you defeat Middleton."

Victor looked at him quizzically, for he did not believe that Tyler could have possibly come to help him.

"Now why should I believe that you are here to help me? How do I know that this isn't a trap?" Victor asked flatly.

Tyler unfolded his arms and took two steps closer to Victor. His cocky smirk had suddenly changed into a serious frown.

"Because…I want to see Middleton destroyed."

Victor was still unconvinced, for Tyler's words did not seem sincere.

"Now why would you be so very willing to help me destroy Middleton? I thought that you had left Blake Holsey to attend the _prestigious_ Avenir Academy? I thought that you and Avenir were such good friends, which also makes you good friends with Middleton." He retorted the latter sarcastically.

"We were never good friends or friends at all. I left Blake Holsey because I felt as if I was being restricted for some reason. The Science Club wouldn't reveal any of their secrets to me. They treated me like an outcast. When I learned about the Avenir Academy and their research on scientific phenomena and time travel, I had to leave. Avenir's research fascinated me. I thought that there were a few similarities between the both of us…"

"Like being a cunning thief and ruining someone's plans he has worked on for his entire career?" Victor interjected.

"No…I'm not like that." Tyler corrected him. "I thought that Avenir was just as hardworking, ambitious, and clever like I was, but then I'd noticed a dark side to him…a side that I found to be very disturbing."

"What's that?" Victor asked.

"The more I worked with him I found that his ideas were not originally his. He began lying to me, concealing information regarding all of his projects. I didn't know why he was acting that way towards me. I grew tired of his behavior and left the academy. That's when I coincidentally met Middleton a few months later and began working with him.

"So I can assume that you are also involved with Middleton in kidnapping my son and Josie Trent!" Victor yelled as he boldly stepped closer to Tyler.

Tyler looked at him confusedly. "What? Middleton kidnapped Vaughn and Trent?"

"Yes! Don't pretend that you don't know anything about it! Now where are they?!"

Tyler raised his hands defensively. "Mr. Pierson, I don't know anything about the kidnappings! I didn't know that Middleton planned on kidnapping them!"

"Of course you knew! You worked with Middleton! Didn't he tell you about all of his plans?" Victor asked angrily.

"No…the only thing I knew was that he was very upset when you and the Science Club defeated Avenir and rescued Josie from the other dimension. He vowed to continue on with Avenir's projects and take his revenge on you, but he'd never revealed to me what he was going to do. In fact, he began hiding things from me and started being very secretive just like Avenir. But unlike Avenir, he was more dangerous. He started experimenting on defenseless people and animals. There were only four fatalities, but I don't know what happened to the bodies."

Victor was rendered speechless once again. Fear crept up inside him as thoughts of Josie and Vaughn possibly being the fifth and sixth fatalities tormented his mind.

"And why are you so against Middleton now? Is it because he didn't share his plans with you?" Victor asked.

"No…it's because I'd realized how much of a monster he is…and because he tried to get rid of me."

Victor raised his brows in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

Tyler sighed. His demeanor seemed to take on a more timid and nervous stance.

"One day, he caught me snooping around his office. He and a few of his henchmen captured and tied me down onto this torture bed in an isolated room. He then stuck a needle into my right arm, injecting some sort of suspended animation serum into my veins. Luckily, I purposely had long sleeves on with padding underneath so that if anything had happened to me, I wouldn't get hurt. So once he stuck the needle into my arm, I pretended to be asleep. They moved me to an isolated room in the west wing of the building and left me there. I waited for about an hour or so after they'd left so that I could escape. Since then, I've been living in and around this building undetected for a few months.

"So Middleton doesn't know you're awake?" Victor asked.

"No…he still thinks I'm locked in the same room in suspended animation."

Victor's eyes widened with surprise. "Suspended animation? That was one of the serums that Avenir and I were developing! So he'd managed to steal that! What was he using it for?"

Uneasiness crept up inside Tyler's spine. "He used it on people…people whom he didn't like nor trust."

"What! He's not supposed to use it on anyone! Avenir and I developed the serum for time traveling purposes only!" Victor exclaimed angrily.

"Yes I know Mr. Pierson. He'd turned every project that he and Avenir started into something that has nothing to do with science." Tyler replied.

Victor eyed him suspiciously as more questions crossed his mind_. Is Tyler being fully truthful? Should I really trust his every word?_ Victor thought carefully.

"So everything you've told me about Middleton is true?"

Tyler nodded. "Yes. I wouldn't have taken a huge risk to come and rescue you."

"Then why send the phantom? You could have just opened the cell yourself when the men left."

Tyler looked at him confusedly. "Phantom? I didn't send any phantom."

Victor cocked his brow. "You had to! It opened the cell and led me right to you!"

Tyler thought for a second. "I came out of the room because I'd noticed someone standing in the hall. I wasn't sure if it was you at first because it was too dark to see."

Victor then realized something at that moment. "I think I know what is going on. There's a reason why the phantom released me. Perhaps it wanted us to meet for some reason."

"You're telling me that what I'd seen in the hallway before I'd turned on the light wasn't you but some shadow?"

"I'll explain later, but I have a hunch who would have sent it. We must go now to find Vaughn and Josie before it's too late. Do you know where we should look first?"

Tyler thought for a few moments. "Yes I do…follow me. If I'm correct, Josie and Vaughn shouldn't be too far from our location now." He said as he led Victor down the long, dimly lit hall…

* * *

"So where are we going to go now?" Samantha whispered to her rescuers.

Vaughn and Ryan were silent, for they were too wrapped up in their thoughts to pay attention to Samantha's words. She looked at them quizzically, feeling slightly insulted that they'd ignored her. She then realized that they were deep in thought.

"Guys!" She whispered loudly as she snapped her fingers twice.

Vaughn and Ryan broke out of their trance.

"Huh? Did you say something Sam?" Ryan asked confusedly.

"Yeah…I asked where we are headed now."

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. We can't leave now because they're still looking for us. I'm not so sure if we can go anywhere else."

"We have to! Look, Josie is still out there and we need to find her. Isn't there some sort of secret staircase we can use to go to the other side of this building?" Vaughn spoke up.

Ryan looked at Vaughn. "You know what? I think I remember seeing a small hidden elevator that no one uses."

"Where is it?" Samantha asked.

"It's down the hall to the left; we passed it when we ran in here."

"How do you know that no one uses it?" Vaughn asked.

"I don't really know but if we want to get out of here and find Josie, we have to take a chance." Ryan suggested.

"Let's do it…we don't have any more time to waste." Vaughn said as he walked over to the door.

"Wait Vaughn, we have to wait for the hallway to be clear." Ryan warned as he stopped his friend.

"Fine…let's wait a few more minutes; then we leave." Vaughn said.

They waited anxiously in dead silence for the next twenty minutes. The escape alarm had finally been shut off, and the sounds of footsteps running up the stairs and down the halls had disappeared. Vaughn pressed his ear against the cold metal door and listened for more sounds.

"I don't hear anything…I guess the coast is clear."

Ryan also placed his ear to the door, and heard nothing but silence. "I'll crack the door open and go out first just to make sure it's safe." He suggested as he slowly opened the door.

He looked to the left and then at the right towards the staircase. The hall was now completely desolate, but still unsafe. He walked out of the room, signaling Vaughn and Samantha to follow him.

"There's the elevator over there in the corner." Ryan whispered as they hurriedly ran over to the elevator.

Ryan pressed the button, but the door did not open. He pressed it again and the same thing happened.

"What's wrong with it?" Vaughn asked.

"I don't know."

"Are you sure that this is an elevator?" Samantha asked.

"Yes I'm sure." Ryan retorted as he fervently pressed the button a few more times. "Dammit it must be locked!"

"Locked! How can a freakin' elevator be locked!" Vaughn exclaimed.

Ryan didn't answer, but continued to frantically look around the area for a key.

"There's got to be a key somewhere." At that moment, a shiny object that was lying on the floor caught his eye. He quickly ran over and picked it up.

"I found a key!" He said as he placed the key inside the keyhole next to the button.

At the same time he turned the switch, the sound of unfamiliar footsteps echoed down the hall. Vaughn, Ryan, and Samantha looked at each other in total horror.

"Quick! Open the door! Someone's coming!" Vaughn yelled.

Ryan pushed the button. The elevator door slowly opened. Samantha, Ryan, and Vaughn quickly ran inside the small elevator as the footsteps quickly approached their direction. Ryan frantically pressed the button to close the door. As soon as the elevator door closed, two male voices began yelling down the hall. The three friends looked at each other, hearts beating a million miles a minute.

"That was close." Vaughn breathed out with a slight nervous chuckle.

"Where is this elevator taking us?" Samantha asked worriedly.

Ryan looked at the illuminated numbers on the wall. "It seems to be taking us to the third floor."

At that moment, the elevator stopped when the number three shined bright red. Anxiety and nervousness welled up inside them, for they did not know what awaited them on the other. When the door finally opened, they were shocked to find that there was someone awaiting their arrival…

* * *

As Tyler led Victor through the long, dark halls, Victor couldn't believe the monstrosity of the building. Every room they'd passed had large windows, which allowed them to look inside. He took notice to the fact that the rooms were not labs, but some sort of examination rooms. He also noticed that some areas of the building resembled the old Pearadyne Lab he was familiar with.

"Tell me something Mr. Jessup, did Middleton design this structure from the old Pearadyne?"

Tyler stopped in his tracks and faced Victor. "He told me that he used the blueprints from the old lab as a basis for this building. But he'd also said that since he was denied the right to expand the old building, he would build his own; vowing that it would be even bigger and better than the old one."

Victor chuckled with sarcasm. "It figures…he was _always_ the one who would try to outdo everything I did. I would assume that since he is such a brilliant _genius_, he wouldn't need to copy old blueprints."

"I don't know why he would have done that Mr. Pierson." Tyler chuckled.

They left through a door that had an exit sign illuminated at the top of the entryway. There was a staircase that led either upstairs or downstairs. Tyler thought for a few moments as to where Middleton would have held Josie and Vaughn hostage.

"Let's go downstairs." He motioned for Victor to follow him.

Victor hesitated for a moment, and then walked downstairs after him. The area was dark and cold. The only sound that could be heard was dripping water from one of the rooms. Tyler reached out to touch the wall and flicked on the light switch, revealing another hall lined with heavy lead doors on each side.

"Where are we?" Victor asked.

"This area is what Middleton calls "_the Dungeon." _Tyler answered.

"The _Dungeon_? I'm afraid to ask why he would give this wing of the building such a _glorious_ name." Victor retorted, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"This is where he keeps his unruly employees as prisoners." Tyler said.

"So is this where Josie and Vaughn could be held captive?"

Tyler nodded. "They could be either here or upstairs in another room…where I'd been kept."

Victor looked at Tyler. His eyes were dark and serious. "I'll check the right side of the hall; you check the left side."

Tyler nodded and did what he was told. For the past ten minutes or so, the two adversaries went from cell to cell, calling out Vaughn and Josie's names. They suddenly came upon one isolated cell at the far end of the hall. Victor looked at Tyler.

"They must be inside this one!" Victor exclaimed; his expectations were high at that point.

"Vaughn! Josie!" Victor yelled as he opened the door, but to his dismay, neither his son nor Josie were inside.

"Dammit!" He said as he slammed the metal door.

"I'm sorry Mr. Pierson…don't give up hope. We'll search upstairs on the third floor in the other wing." Tyler suggested as they walked out of the exit door and headed upstairs.

* * *

"What _is_ that thing?" Samantha whispered as she, Vaughn, and Ryan stared at the shadowy figure before them.

Vaughn quickly realized that the shadowy figure standing a few feet in front of them was the phantom.

"Don't worry guys, it's not gonna hurt us." Vaughn replied.

"How do you know?" Samantha asked.

"Because…I've met it before."

"What? When?" Ryan asked.

"When Josie and I were studying in the library back in Blake Holsey, that thing came and captured us."

"So it _will_ hurt us!" Samantha exclaimed.

"No it won't…let me finish. When Josie and I became separated, it led me to Middleton's office. That's how I was able to find out about Middleton and his plans to get rid of me and Josie."

Ryan averted his eyes from Vaughn to the phantom. He was slightly fascinated, yet scared at the haunting figure standing before him. "Is it a ghost or something?" He whispered to Vaughn.

"I'm not sure, but I know that for some reason, it wants to help us, not hurt us."

"Ask it what it wants." Samantha suggested.

Vaughn cautiously stepped out of the elevator, with Ryan and Samantha close behind him.

"Are you here to help us?" Vaughn asked the figure.

It nodded its head yes.

A great sense of relief washed over the three friends, as the darkness around their plight seemed to brighten. Then the phantom motioned for them to follow it down the hall. They hesitated at first, until Vaughn reassured them that it was okay.

"Where do you think it's taking us?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know, but I hope it takes us to Josie." Vaughn replied as they turned around the corner, heading down another part of the hall.

* * *

Victor and Tyler cautiously approached the third floor, making sure that none of Middleton's men were not around. As they walked down the hall, Victor noticed that the area was not as dark and dreary as the second floor.

"What goes on in this area?" Victor asked Tyler.

"This is where I was held captive. Here is the room where Middleton kept me in." Tyler replied as he led him down the hall over to his former room.

As they walked inside, Tyler turned on the light. AN immediate sense of fear and trepidation overwhelmed his body. He stood frozen at the doorway, unable to come inside. Victor stepped inside and looked around the room. On the right side of the room were operating tools found in hospitals. On the opposite side was an examination table with straps attached to every side of the table. He turned and looked at Tyler and noticed that he had a horrified expression on his face.

"What's wrong Mr. Jessup?" Victor asked.

Tyler looked at Victor. "I…it's hard for me to come in here Mr. Pierson after what's happened to me."

Victor walked over to the terrified student and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I know this must be very difficult for you, but please don't cower out on me now. We must find my son and Trent and I need to be able to depend on someone with strength. My strength or what's left of it is gone. Please Tyler, pull it together."

Tyler took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right Mr. Pierson. Even though I escaped with my life, I still feel as though I'm in grave danger."

Victor smiled and nodded. "We all are in grave danger Tyler. In order for us to survive, we must find Josie and Vaughn…and the others."

Tyler widened his eyes in surprise. "The others? Middleton captured more people from Blake Holsey?"

"No. Professor Z and the remaining members of the science club came through the wormhole to try and rescue Josie and Vaughn. The problem is I don't know where they are or if they came to the right timeline."

"We have to go." Tyler said as they left the room.

As they cautiously walked down the hall, something caught Tyler's eyes.

"I think I see someone standing over there at the end of the hall." He whispered.

Victor looked in his direction and immediately noticed that what Tyler spotted was not the shadow of a person, rather it was the phantom. Victor slowly approached the figure.

"Mr. Pierson what are you doing? We'll be discovered!"

Victor stooped in his tracks and turned to face Tyler. "That's not a person standing over there…it's the shape shifter that rescued me earlier."

Tyler widened his eyes, for he'd never seen anything like that in his life. "Is that the thing you said opened your cell?"

"Yes…and from the looks of it, I think it wants us to follow it." Victor said as he slowly approached the shadowy figure.

The phantom motioned for the two travelers to follow it down the hall. Victor and Tyler followed in silence, both keeping a short distance from it, being wary of its every move.

"Where do you suppose it's leading us?" Tyler asked suspiciously.

"I don't know, but wherever it is, I hope it leads us to my son…"

Just then, as they turned the corner, the phantom disappeared. Victor and Tyler were completely thrown off guard and they began to frantically look around them for the figure.

"Where did it go?" Tyler asked nervously.

"I don't know, but I hope it didn't lead us into a trap." Victor answered angrily.

At that moment, the sound of voices suddenly began to come from down the opposite side of the hall. Victor and Tyler stood frozen in fear, for they knew that the phantom had led them into a trap…or had it?

* * *

Samantha, Vaughn, and Ryan had followed the phantom in silence for the past ten minutes. Questions began to arise in their minds about where they were headed and what may lie ahead.

"Are you sure this thing is helping us?" Ryan asked.

"Yes…it's probably leading us to another room for safety or something." Vaughn responded.

Just then, as they turned the corner that led to another hallway, the creature disappeared.

"Where the hell did it go?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know. It has a tendency to do this when it has led us to the place we need to be." Vaughn replied as they looked around the area.

"Well I don't see any rooms in sight. Maybe it has led us into some sort of trap!" Samantha exclaimed.

At that moment, the sound of voices came from the far opposite side of the hall. The three friends froze in fear, for they knew they were in danger of being caught.

"Dammit I knew we shouldn't have followed that thing! It led us into a trap!" Ryan exclaimed.

Vaughn was lost for words. How could he be so stupid as to trust that thing after it kidnapped him and Josie? But it did lead him to Middleton's office and has kept him safe…until now.

"I'm sorry guys." Vaughn whispered.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the phantom reappeared, but it stood at the far end of the hall where the voices were coming from. Vaughn attempted to follow it, but he was quickly stopped by Ryan and Samantha.

"Don't go Vaughn…it's a trap!" Ryan surmised.

But there was something inside Vaughn reassuring him that it was safe to follow the phantom. The creature motioned for them to follow, but they stood their ground. Vaughn then turned to his friends and made a deal with them.

"Look guys, we've been fine this far. If there are men waiting around the corner to capture us, we can defeat them."

"But what if we can't? What if we become separated and lost?" Samantha asked, tears welling up in her ice blue eyes.

"Then we have to do what we can to survive…we to risk it." Vaughn replied gravely.

Ryan shook his head in disagreement. "I don't know man…Middleton is dangerous and since we've escaped, there's no telling what he may want to do to us."

"We've got to do this Ryan…I don't want to but we have to."

At that moment, Vaughn began walking towards the phantom. Samantha and Ryan bravely walked beside him. They turned the corner and found the phantom standing there motionless. It stood a few feet in front of them, until it suddenly disappeared. They walked over to the spot where it disappeared and to their great surprise, found the identity of the voices.

"Dad!" Vaughn shouted.

"Vaughn!" Victor exclaimed.

"_Tyler_?" Samantha and Ryan said simultaneously as they all stood face to face in the desolate hallway.

* * *

**A/N: So...now we know what released Victor from his cell. Who do you think sent the phantom to release him? Do you think that Tyler can be trusted? Is he telling the truth about what Middleton did to him? Or is this all a ploy to convince everyone that he is no threat to them? Finally Father and Son are reunited...but will they face even more danger? Well, there are a few chapters left in this saga. If you all haven't noticed, I'm still kind of stalling to finish this fic because once I'm done writing it, I'll miss it greatly! But I WILL finish this fic, whether it be next month or a few months from now! I want to thank the new folks who have found my fic and started reading it! Thanks to all who have continued with this fic and are still interested in reading it! So review if you have something to say! I will try to update soon! For those of you who are reading or have read Wayward Hearts, I will continue to post chapters for that fic, but I have to finish this one first! So thanks to all my lovely readers! Until next time....! **


	32. Any Dream Will Do

**A/N: Wow! Too much time has passed from my last post! I'm very sorry for the long wait! I've been super busy with life! I hate when things get in the way of what you're supposed to be doing! SO...here's where we left off. The phantom freed Victor Pearson from his cell and united him with Tyler Jessup. Then it reunited Victor and Vaughn. Josie met up with the phantom which also reunited her with Corrine and Lucas. Now in this chapter, we see what happened to Professor Z and Marshall. I want to thank all of you who still read this fic and has stayed with me since day one! Now read and review if you want to! Enjoy!**

* * *

Professor Z and Marshall found themselves traveling down a dark, desolate hallway. They firmly pressed the palms of their hands against the smooth walls as a guide to help them walk through the seemingly endless darkness.

"Hey Z…" Marshall whispered. "I'm starting to realize that we should've left through the main door of the library instead of using the secret passage. We can't see anything!"

"Don't worry Marshall, we're okay. I think this was the safest route to take. If we left out the other door, we would encounter more surveillance cameras. This secret passage could lead us straight to Corrine and Lucas." Z replied reassuringly.

"I hope so…" Marshall grunted under his breath as they continued their journey through the hall.

"Hey Z?"

"Yes Marshall."

"Do these walls feel funny to you?"

Z frowned confusedly. "No…why do they feel funny to you?"

"They feel too smooth and ice cold…kind of slippery and smooth like the floor or something."

Z suddenly stopped in his tracks and began to blindly examine the walls with his fingertips. Marshall was right. The walls did feel unusually smooth and slippery like the floor.

"How uncanny…" He said aloud.

Marshall stopped in his tracks and turned around to face his professor.

"You know what Marshall…you're right. These walls do feel very peculiar."

"See I told you! You know what else Z, I feel a little dizzy. It feels like all of the blood in my body is rushing towards my head."

"It could be the darkness that's causing your dizziness, Marshall. Now that you mentioned it, I am starting to feel a little lightheaded myself." Z replied.

At that moment, the lights suddenly turned on. Z and Marshall shielded their eyes from the blinding light. Once their eyes adjusted to their surroundings, they removed their hands from their faces. Marshall was the first one to do so, and was stunned; yet confused by what he'd seen.

"What in the world?" He said as he looked around the area.

Professor Z removed his hands and was equally perplexed by what he saw.

The light revealed that the two travelers were in a long, narrow hallway. The walls were a shade of dark gray made from marble, which explained the smoothness and cold texture. However, when Marshall and Z looked down at the floor where they stood, they were shocked to find that the floor they stood on consisted of light panels made out of fiberglass. That explained where the blinding light was coming from.

"Z do you see what I see?" Marshall asked as he stood in horror with his back flat against the wall.

"Yes Marshall…and it seems like we're not walking on the floor. I think we're walking on the ceiling."

They both looked around the hall, taking notice of the gray and white checkered ceiling above them, where the lights were supposed to be. They then looked down the hall and saw that the exit sign was upside down, as well as the entryway.

"Z…what's going on? Why are we on the ceiling?"

"I don't know Marshall, but we need to hold onto something before we fall. Judging between the distances from the ceiling to the floor below us, I think it's approximately a thirty foot drop."

"So you're telling me that if we make a misstep, we have a very long fall?" Marshall asked nervously.

"Yes Marshall. So the only thing we can do now is to make our way towards the exit." The professor replied as he carefully walked over to where his frightened student stood.

"Okay Marshall, this is the plan. We have to find a way to get right side up. I believe that the only way to do that is to walk over to the exit and slide our way down the sides of the entryway."

Marshall looked at his professor Z skeptically. "Come again, Z? What if we do slide down the entryway, we don't end up right side up, but upside down?"

Marshall's logical question was unexpectedly answered when out of nowhere, two people walked down the hall…right side up.

"What the…" Marshall gasped.

Z quickly nudged him to be quiet, for he knew that they were in danger.

"Shh Marshall…we don't want them to hear us." He whispered.

"Why? Maybe they can help us?"

"I don't think so." Z said.

They silently watched as the two people slowly entered the room. One person appeared to be a short, balding man accompanied by a young brunette woman with long hair.

"Hey…that girl looks familiar." Marshall whispered.

Z studied the young woman for a moment, quickly realizing that she did look very familiar.

"Wait! That's Madison!" Marshall said excitedly.

"Shh Marshall! We can't be discovered!"

Marshall nodded and apologized, promising to contain his excitement from now on. The young woman was in fact Madison, but who was that man walking with her? And more importantly, why was she here? Just then, the man stopped in his tracks and began to speak to the head cheerleader.

"_I can't believe you allowed that red-headed runt and that dumb jock to escape!"_

The disgruntled man said through gritted teeth.

Madison huffed, rolling her eyes as she turned around to face him.

"_How many times do I have to tell you that it wasn't my fault, Fred! It was you and Ryan who were supposed to keep an eye on them!"_

"_We weren't the only ones who were supposed to watch them! Didn't you tell me that the boss put __**you**__ in charge of overseeing everything? That means that you are as much to blame as I am!"_ Fred exclaimed, his eyes red with anger.

"_You are always trying to pen your screwups on me! If Middleton knew how much of a lame person you truly are, you wouldn't be working for him!"_ Madison exclaimed angrily.

At the mention of Middleton's name, Professor Z and Marshall looked at each other in disbelief.

"Middleton?" Marshall whispered.

"So he's the one behind Josie and Vaughn's kidnapping!" Z whispered back.

"We've got to do something Z…I don't have a good feeling about all of this. I think we're all in more danger than what we've anticipated."

Z placed his hand on Marshall's shoulder. "Don't worry Marshall…I know it may seem dire for us right now, but you must remember that there's a reason why we're here. We're not here just to rescue Josie and Vaughn, but now it seems like we have to…"

"Stop Middleton…" Marshall interjected.

Z nodded. "We have to stay focused Marshall, or all will be lost." Z had said, then looked down at the bickering people below them.

"_We're not solving anything by freaking arguing Fred!" _Madison yelled angrily.

"_Then stop messing up! Let's go! We've wasted too much time arguing. Now we've probably let them all escape outside all thanks to your no good boyfriend Ryan!"_ Fred exclaimed.

"_Oh will you quit saying that! He's not my boyfriend!" _Madison yelled.

As Madison and Fred continued to argue, Z was struck with an idea. He tapped his student on his shoulder. Marshall turned around to face his professor.

"Marshall we need to get over to that corner by the exit sign. Since they're distracted, we can make it over there…as long as we're quiet." He whispered.

Marshall looked over to where Z was pointing. It was approximately fifteen feet from where they stood.

"I don't think we can do this Z…what if they see us? The lights are on!"

"Marshall don't worry…as long as we walk slowly with our backs against the wall, they won't see us. They're too busy arguing to even notice anything." Z replied reassuringly.

Marshall glanced down at the bickering couple and inhaled a few deep breaths.

"Okay Professor Z, I'm ready."

Z and Marshall quietly began inching their way towards the upside down exit sign. Their backs were pressed firmly against the wall, while their eyes were focused on the people below them. Madison and Fred were still arguing like an unhappy married couple. Luckily, the exit sign was located on the opposite side of the room, away from Madison and Fred.

"Okay Marshall…just a few more feet." Z whispered.

"Z…I can't do this. We're going to get caught!" Marshall replied, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Marshall don't panic…we're almost there. They won't be able to notice us since we are on the opposite side of the room and we're quiet." Z reassured him.

"I'm not going down first, Z. You're going to have to do it."

Z looked at his frightened student. He felt a little frustrated that Marshall was breaking down at the most important moment, but knew that he had to do something to calm him down…if they were to escape unnoticed.

"Alright Marshall…I'll go down first, but I need to somehow get around you. I can't just walk around you or else they'll see my shadow and know we're up here."

"How are you going to do that?" Marshall asked wide-eyed.

"First move over to that corner. We have about five feet to go." Z commanded as he gently nudged Marshall.

Marshall obeyed and inched over to the corner. Z carefully followed him, making sure the people below them were still distracted.

"Okay Marshall, this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to walk over you."

"What? Walk over me?"

"Yes…I'm going to have to walk with my back to you as if you were the wall. That way, I won't cast a shadow and they won't see me."

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Marshall asked nervously.

"Yes Marshall…now trust me. Stand as flat as you can against the wall so that I can make it to the corner. Keep an eye on them."

Marshall did as he was told. Z carefully inched his way over Marshall with his left leg first. When he tried to reach his left hand and press it against the wall, his hand slipped, causing him to lose balance and step on Marshall's foot with his right leg.

"Ouch!" Marshall yelled, but not in a whisper.

At that moment, Marshall realized that he'd yelled in a loud voice and immediately covered his mouth. Z froze in horror, for he knew that the people below heard Marshall. Madison and Fred suddenly stopped arguing.

"_Did you hear that? Someone said ouch."_ Madison said.

"_What are you talking about? I didn't hear anything but your big mouth!"_ Fred replied in agitation.

"_Someone said ouch! I think it came from the corner somewhere."_ Madison said as she glanced around the room.

Marshall and Z knew at that moment that they were caught. Thoughts of what was going to happen to them raced through their horror-struck minds.

"Whatever you do Marshall do not move or make a sound." Z whispered through gritted teeth.

Marshall was too scared to respond. They both looked down at Madison and Fred, who were now walking towards their direction.

"_I heard someone! Maybe someone's hiding in here! Maybe it's Josie and Vaughn!"_

"Don't be stupid, Madison! Where can they hide? Do you see a closet or desk in here that they can hide in?"

"No, but…"

"_But nothing! Now come on! We have to go before Middleton gets more upset and does God knows what to us!"_ Fred exclaimed as he grabbed Madison's arm and led her out of the room on the opposite side of the room.

When they were out of sight, Z and Marshall breathed a big sigh of relief as fear melted away from their bodies.

"That was too close, Z." Marshall said.

"You're telling me…" Z replied as he stepped over Marshall, finally making his way to the corner. "You really need to deal with pain a lot better, Marshall."

"You stepped on my foot! You're not as light as a feather, Z." Marshall quipped.

Z chucked and shook his head. "Come on, let's get out of here. I'll climb down first and wait for you at the bottom." Z said as he grabbed onto the wall and slid down the corner.

Marshall watched as his teacher carefully, but slowly slid down, landing safely on his feet. Z looked around, making sure that the coast was clear.

"Come on Marshall, hurry up before someone comes!"

Marshall nodded and then carefully slid down with his eyes closed. Once his feet touched the ground, he opened his eyes and turned to face Z.

"Not bad, right?" Z said with a smile.

Marshall shook his head. "No, but remind me never to stand upside down ever again! I was about to black out up there!"

Z patted Marshall's back comfortingly. "Let's go before we run into more trouble. We need to find out what's going on and why Middleton is behind all of this." He said as they made their way out the door into the unknown.

Little did they know that they would encounter something they'd never seen before in their lives as they searched for their missing friends...

* * *

With a bright flash of white light, the janitor rolled onto the cold hard ground. After much thought, he decided to make a very wise, yet dangerous decision to go through the wormhole. It was still very unclear to him what he would do or what side his allegiance lay. But he knew that something had to be done. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and stood, feeling slightly dizzy and confused for a few seconds about his whereabouts. He looked around and noticed that it was nighttime and he was standing in the woods.

"But that can't be…" He said. "It was daytime when I'd left Blake Holsey."

He looked up at the sky and noticed that he was in another world, for the moon was three times as big as the one back home.

"I'm here…I just hope that everyone's alright." He said as he began making his way north towards his destination.

He knew where he was headed; for the area around him had not changed since the last time he'd visited Middleton. After a half hour or so, a familiar building came into view. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach for he knew what lay ahead.

"You must go there, Gene. There's no turning back now." A voice urged him.

He nodded and slowly made his way towards the infamous Pearadyne II, facing whatever fate was awaiting him behind the monstrous walls…

* * *

**A/N: So how did you like it? What side do you think the janitor will choose? What's in store for Z and Marshall and what will they discover? I'm currently writing the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take me almost a year to post another chapter. I didn't realize I allowed that much time to escape! But leave a review and stay tuned! There's more to come! Thanks!**


	33. Like A Dream

A/N: I want to first apologize for allowing 2 years to go by without posting! I had no idea that much time went by! I will try to post monthly since this story should have been finished years ago! Thank you all for your patience! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I have enjoyed writing it! The next chapter is written but as always, I have to go over it because new ideas always pop into my head and I have to make sure my chapters flow correctly. So please excuse my neglectfulness! Read and enjoy!

* * *

"Corrine! Lucas!" Josie exclaimed as she ran towards her friends. The fear that once gripped her body soon turned into unexplainable happiness.

"Josie!" With open welcoming arms, Corrine ran quickly towards her roommate to embrace her with a hug. Lucas, still in shock, stood frozen at the entrance of the room.

"Oh my God I can't believe we've finally found you!" Corrine exclaimed, trying to hold back tears.

She and Josie broke away from their warm embrace and both wiped the tears away from each other's eyes. Corrine examined her newfound friend, making sure she was all in one piece. At that moment she noticed the bandage on Josie's head.

"What happened to your head? Are you ok?" She asked with great concern.

Josie gently touched her bandage. "Oh this? Yes I'm fine. It's a long story about how I got that." She replied with a slight chuckle.

She then looked at Lucas and immediately ran over to him for a hug. Lucas was at first taken aback from her embrace, but then slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and gently placed his chin on top of her flaming red hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath as he instinctively tightened his grip around her small waist, holding her body even closer to his.

Corrine watched her friends with a knowing smile, taking first notice of Lucas's firm grip on Josie.

Josie soon broke away from Lucas and smiled.

"I'm glad we've finally found you." Lucas replied, smiling back.

"I'm so glad to be found. You guys have absolutely no idea what I've been through. Hopefully Vaughn is safe…we have to find him!" Josie replied anxiously.

At the mere mention of Vaughn's name, Lucas's smile disappeared. It wasn't because he didn't want Vaughn to be found. It was because he was reminded of the growing bond between Josie and his romantic rival, which now seemed to be unbreakable now that they've gone through this traumatic event together.

"So where do you think Vaughn might be?" Corrine asked Josie.

"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him was when we were separated after we woke up in a small cell. He was captured again and I tried to get him out but something happened to me."

"What?" Lucas asked anxiously.

"I passed out. Someone stuck me with a needle or something but before I blacked out, I saw a man's face. He had glasses and short brown hair. I didn't recognize him at first, until I later found out his name." Josie struggled to say as she recounted her nightmare.

"Well who was it? What's his name?" Corrine asked.

"Middleton."

Lucas and Corrine's hearts nearly jumped out of their bodies.

"You mean _Professor Middleton_? He's here?" Lucas exclaimed.

"Yeah and he's behind me and Vaughn's kidnapping." Josie replied.

"Are you sure because Professor Middleton has been missing for almost three and a half years now." Corrine stated.

"Yes I do know for sure it's him. He's the one behind this. I happened to stumble upon his room when I woke up from being unconscious. A tool fell on my head and that's how I got this nasty bruise on my head." Josie explained.

"Does your head still hurt? I hope you don't have a concussion." Corrine asked concernedly.

"It throbs a little bit but that's only when I bump it against something."

"Well we need to get out of here fast so that you won't get hurt anymore." Lucas suggested.

"Guess who else is here." Josie began suddenly. "Victor Pearson!"

"Victor Pearson is here? Where is he? Lucas asked.

"He's in this small cell in the other side of the building. I wanted to save him but I couldn't because there were two people after me." Josie replied.

"Who?" Corrine asked.

"A gross looking little man and Madison."

Lucas and Corrine widened their eyes in surprise. Their hearts nearly stopped at the mention of the head cheerleader's name.

"Madison?" They both exclaimed in unison.

"Yes Madison. She's another one who is behind this drama." Josie replied.

"So that explains why she was sneaking into Professor Z's office every night to go through the wormhole." Lucas concluded.

"Wow what is going on?" Corrine asked.

"I don't know but we have one heck of a journey ahead of us." Josie replied wearily.

* * *

"Dad!" Vaughn shouted.

"Vaughn!" Victor exclaimed.

"_Tyler_?" Samantha and Ryan said simultaneously as they all stood face to face in the desolate hallway.

Victor Pearson and Vaughn quickly ran towards each other, while Tyler, Samantha, and Ryan stayed behind on opposite sides of the hallway, watching father and son embrace each other. Samantha and Ryan averted their eyes to Tyler, who was still watching Victor and Vaughn.

"Can you believe he's here?" Samantha whispered to Ryan.

"No…I thought he was gone a long time ago. We need to keep an eye on him." Ryan whispered back.

"Dad I can't believe you're here! How did you get here? How did you find us?"

"Professor Zachary told me that you and Josie were kidnapped when you were in the library. I granted him permission to find you and Josie with the help of the Science Club."

"The Science Club is here? Have you seen them?" Vaughn asked excitedly.

"No…I haven't seen them since they left to find you and Josie. I don't know if they got here."

"How did you get here?"

"The janitor…he showed me where to go through the wormhole…in the basement of the school."

Vaughn then turned his attention to the former Blake Holsey High student standing a few feet behind them.

"What are you doing here with my dad?" He asked Tyler.

Before Tyler could answer, Vaughn went on an angry rant. "Dad you can't trust him…he's bad news!"

"Yeah that's what we want to know, Tyler!" Ryan said as he slowly walked towards where Vaughn stood. Samantha followed. "What are you doing here?"

At the sight of Ryan, Victor froze in horror. He'd remembered the troubled teenager who was the first student to go missing from Blake Holsey.

"Ryan? Ryan Channing?" Victor said in disbelief.

"Yes it's me Mr. Pearson."

"How…why…how did you get here?" Victor asked.

"It's a long story Mr. Pearson, but all I can tell you is that I have been a prisoner the whole time I was here. Professor Middleton is out to get you Mr. Pearson…and so is he!" Ryan replied as he pointed a guilty finger at Tyler.

Tyler's heart nearly stopped. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, no I'm not out to get Mr. Pearson!" He replied, raising both hands in defense.

"Yes you are! You used to work for Middleton! You and Middleton were conspiring to ruin Mr. Pearson as well as everyone else who was affiliated with Blake Holsey!"

"You were working with Middleton, too!" Tyler quipped back accusingly.

"Yeah I did until I realized what he was doing! You knew for a long time about his dangerous plans but still went along with it! You also lied to Middleton and told him that Samantha was planning to do something about his plans!" Ryan quipped.

"I only went along with him because I knew he was a psycho and would harm me if I didn't agree with him! Don't you know what he did to me?" Tyler then stepped closer to Victor.

"Please Mr. Pearson, you have to believe me. I mean no harm to you or to anyone. Yes it's true that I followed Middleton but I only did that to keep safe."

"Are you telling me the truth Tyler?" Victor asked.

"If I was working with Middleton, do you think I would have freed you from the cell?" Tyler asked.

"Well how do we know that you freed my dad only to lead Middleton to us? Or you did this just so that Middleton can let you go?" Vaughn asked.

Tyler sighed in frustration. "Did your two friends over here tell you what happened to me? Did they tell you what Middleton did to me?"

Vaughn glanced at Ryan and Samantha. "Samantha told us that he tortured you. But you caused Samantha to get hurt. He put her in suspended animation because you lied on her!"

"Yeah…you would do anything to save your own ass." Samantha quipped.

"I'm sorry Samantha. I should have never done that to you. I felt awful for what he did to you. He put me in suspended animation, too…or so he thought he did." Tyler apologized.

"What do you mean he thought he did?" Ryan asked.

"When they injected me with the serum, I had on double padding under the sleeves in my shirt. I pretended to be unconscious and when the coast was clear, I fled to the south eastern part of the building where they rarely go." Tyler explained.

"It serves you right to get what you deserved from him." Ryan replied.

"Tyler had informed me of his dealings with Middleton and Avenir when he freed me. From his willingness to give me that information, I can say that I trust him so far." Victor mentioned.

"But dad you can't trust him just because he told you his story and he set you free." Vaughn added.

Victor placed a reassuring hand on Vaughn's shoulder. "Vaughn please…if you don't trust him, trust me." He then leaned into Vaughn's ear and whispered. "I always have a plan when a former enemy suddenly becomes my friend. If he should happen to turn his back on us, I have a way for us to get out of the situation."

Vaughn still felt a little conflicted about Tyler. His father looked into his eyes, reassuring him that he knew what he was doing.

"Okay dad…" Vaughn said with a weary smile.

"Guys we can't stay out here in the open. We need to go somewhere." Samantha said.

Tyler thought for a moment and then remembered a safe haven he stayed in on the southern most side of the building.

"I know of a great place to go. Follow me!" Tyler said as he walked past Ryan and Samantha towards a door at the end of the hallway.

Everyone hesitated for a moment, for they did not fully trust him. Tyler opened the door and looked back, realizing that they were not behind him.

"Come on guys! This way!"

They all looked at each other wearily. At that moment, a dark familiar figure appeared by the door where Tyler stood.

"Look guys! It's the shadow man!" Samantha said.

"I think it wants us to go where Tyler is going!" Vaughn said as they all decided to walk down the hall.

Once they reached the door, the phantom disappeared.

Tyler held the door open for everyone as they all in single form, walked into the next room. Ryan was last in line and glared at Tyler.

"You'd better be leading us to a safe place…or else." He threatened.

Slight anger welled up inside Tyler, but he'd managed to keep cool. Once Ryan walked through the door, Tyler quickly followed the group, and closed the door behind him.

"_As long as we get to the south area, we'll be okay…"_ Tyler kept telling himself.

If he only knew that where they were headed was no longer a safe haven...

* * *

Back at Blake Holsey, Principal Durst was at her wits end. The science club, including Mr. Pearson were now gone for more than six weeks. Finals were quickly approaching and the remaining students in Professor Zachary's class were asking questions on the whereabouts of their lost teacher. She had to tell them that he went on sabbatical. When people asked about the science club, she had to lie and say they were on a science trip. Her lies were starting to become confusing and unbelievable. She could not keep up with them. One student threatened to tell her parents that a conspiracy was going on and Professor Z and the missing students were in fact missing. Durst had to do all she could to keep that student quiet. What made matters worse was that after finals, the students were to move out for summer vacation in the next three weeks.

"What am I going to do?" Durst asked as she walked through the busy hallway of the school, making her way to her office.

Once inside the office, she paced around the room, thinking of what she should do. The janitor told her that Josie and Vaughn were kidnapped, but she was not aware of the reason why.

Finally, an idea came to mind. "Perhaps Josie's mother can help? Maybe she knows what's going on? I should call her!"

As soon as she ran over to the phone and picked up the receiver, she quickly realized that she just had a student pretend to be Josie to speak to Ms. Trent when she called two days ago. Realizing that she was stuck, she placed the phone down and sat back in her chair in agony.

"I don't know what's going on! What am I to do?" She said aloud to the empty room as she placed her head in her hands and cried.

* * *

**A/N:** So what do you think? Can Tyler be trusted? What awaits them through the door? How will Josie, Lucas, and Corrine get out of the room? More to come! Thanks for reading!


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